


Towards the Sky

by Shescella



Category: Final Fantasy VII (Video Game 1997), Final Fantasy VII Remake (Video Game 2020)
Genre: Adventure, Alternate Universe - Medieval, F/M, Romance, Travel
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-12-10
Updated: 2021-01-01
Packaged: 2021-03-09 19:00:25
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 5
Words: 25,776
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27991155
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Shescella/pseuds/Shescella
Summary: After getting captured by Shinra, the Planet's largest religious group and dictator, Aerith is desperate to seek freedom and escape from their manipulative hands. Her hope lies in a mysterious man whose mako eyes tell a different, yet similar story to hers. [updated every Friday, I hope]
Relationships: Aerith Gainsborough/Cloud Strife
Comments: 31
Kudos: 107





	1. o bless the holy

**Author's Note:**

> Hello guys, it is time for another multi-chaptered story. This was actually a kofi-oneshot request, but I had bigger ideas for it, so I decided to make it a whole story. With the obligation to actually finish and a much more exciting plot, I hope to finish this to the very end! And to keep up with this commitment, I start off by releasing a new chapter every week on Fridays :) But of course, the schedule is not rigid since life can change any time LOL and I may sink back to the "I'll-release-anytime-I'm-done-with-a-chapter" schedule, but hopefully that'll happen way later LOL Hopefully you guys can enjoy this loosely Japanese-medieval themed AU story, and sorry if things don't seem to fit in the setting because while I may be a complete weeb, I do not know any Japanese history LOL HAHAHHA SO BARE WITH ME!! And please enjoy and leave your thoughts, it'll motivate me lots :)
> 
> P.S. The first chapter is pretty dark, but I swear to you it'll be the darkest chapter in this story (gotta set up the backstory, amirite????)

“Please, it’s tight enough.”

Aerith didn’t know there was any pain worse than drowning as she felt her lungs squeezed of its air. The servants ignored her pleas as one of them stabilized her by the shoulders while the other stood behind her, tightening her obi to the point where her waist was reduced to the thickness of a mere stick.

None of them showed any indication that they even heard her. Once they were satisfied with their work, they silently left, sliding the bamboo door shut with a snap that always made her stomach drop.

Weakly wobbling over to the mirror, Aerith painfully sucked her stomach in as she stared at her pitiable reflection. The outside showed just a normal, twenty-year-old girl, hair long and elegant as they framed her pale cheeks, white from the prior day of starvation. While the beauty was apparent on her face, the hollow glaze that muddied her once-bright green eyes reflected the emptiness inside her. Though empty, it was screaming—desperate for salvation.

_ Knock, knock. _

“Your Holy Being, it’s time.”

Removing herself from the mirror, Aerith took a deep breath in as she gathered all her feelings and tucked them away; it wasn’t wise to show her emotions when this specific time came every week.

“I’m coming.”

The corridors that led to the prayer room stretched too far and too long; she had to muster a lot of her focus just to walk straight while making sure everything was perfect. From each individual footstep to the tall chin she had to keep up—nothing could be off by the slightest.

Or else another round of purification awaited her.

When her servants stepped in front of her to open the large doors, she could already feel the heavy air press against her shoulders as her “followers” sat on the hard carpet on their knees, head already bowed as it hung low against the ground. At the sound of her arrival, like possessed demons, they raised their head up and held their hands up in the air.

“O bless the Holy Being! To gain eternal life and fortune! Bless, bless!”

And then came the mad prayers that repeated, which eventually became slurs—like taiko drums that boomed faster, asynchronously, signaling the apprehension that threatened to swallow her alive. Their hands rubbed furiously together as their heads nodded to the beat of their own chant, disconnected from reality, lost in a morbid dream.

This morbid dream, she lived.

Face passive, Aerith walked down the path laid out for her along the blood-red carpet as she approached the front where a large altar was placed. Standing next to it was a figure that she wished she could just trample over and possibly beat in the face with the sole of her shoe.

Innocence? Happiness? She didn’t believe she had any reserves left to spare. If only her mother could see her today, so tainted with the feeling of hatred. She could barely remember her former self, much less be able to bring out a sliver of it.

“Behold, our Holy Being, who has so graciously fasted so that her soul could be cleansed for today’s prayer!” Don Corneo boomed as his fat rippled with every word he spoke. With yukata terribly fitted and hair slicked back in a bun—whether with grease or water, Aerith didn’t know—Don Corneo smiled widely as he reached a hand out for Aerith to take.

She had no choice but to take their leader’s hand.

“Has Jenova been vanquished from her body?” a voice shrieked from the crowd. “I refused to be blessed by a demon that has taken over the body of the Holy Being!”

Too used to sudden outbursts by now, Aerith didn’t flinch as she allowed Corneo to do the talking—he always did.

“Fear not!” roared Corneo. His chubby, sweaty hand still clasped onto Aerith’s thin one; who knows when she could cause trouble by running away again? “After two days of purification, Jenova was successfully removed from her body! However, because our Holy Being is so pure, Jenova will not stop in her attempts to possess her body again. We must watch out and send our prayers with strength so that we can ward away the evilness!”

“Bless the Holy Being!”

“For eternal life and fortune!”

“For eternal life and fortune!”

The crowd of followers once more continued their rabid prayers, murmurs drowning the inside of the prayer room as their voices roared to a volume that was nearly deafening. Knowing what she had to do next, she prepared herself as someone handed her a silver goblet containing a mysterious, black liquid. Even after four years of doing this, she still did not know what they put in it.

“Let us reach the Promised Land! Bring us, O blessed Holy!” The crowd finally came together in their chants as Aerith brought the goblet to her mouth and began chugging it, holding in her breath to stop herself from tasting it as much as she could. When she finished, she restrained herself from throwing it all back up before she weakly trudged towards the altar.

“I, the Holy Being, will now converse with the Ancients and plead for another week’s worth of blessings!” Aerith weakly yelled. With shaky hands, she took the round sphere swirling with mako and held it to her chest. Standing in the center of the platform, she resonated with the White Materia, releasing a glow of green that pervaded the entire room.

What was just a light show to Aerith was a god-descended spectacle to the crowd. All she was doing was interacting with the ancient mako contained within the White Materia. Promised Land? The Ancients?

There was none of that here in this pathetic jewel.

When she couldn’t continue the farce any longer, she stopped and placed the White Materia back on the altar. However, she couldn’t stop here. She had to finish.

“The Ancients have heard our prayers! We are blessed for another week!”

“Thank you, Holy Being! We are saved from the grasps of Jenova for another week!”

While every week was torturous, every week was also blissful whenever the day of the Cleanse was over. She could escape back into her room, away from all these mad people and this crazed organization. She could escape back into her shell, and while she was as good as dead by now on the inside, the short duration of peace she was granted as a reward after a Cleanse was better than seeing any of the deranged faces of her followers.

However, she could escape all she wanted, but only within this wicked palace. No matter how far she ran out into the world, they always managed to capture her and bring her back. Even the military police were within their hands. They were too large. Too influential. Too powerful.

They called themselves Shinra—the biggest cult of the Planet. All because of the stupid Materia.

Aerith had long accepted her fate. She was going to live here forever, to appease those who ran things around here. She was stuck, trapped, _hopeless_ —there was no getting out of here unless the White Materia was suddenly destroyed.

And that was never going to happen. It was near impossible.

“Good job, dear,” Corneo’s sordid voice sent shivers down her spine. All the followers had left to do their community service for the nearby village; it was only them two left in the prayer room. “Another week of successful prayers, all thanks to you.”

“You are mad,” she half-whispered. She barely had the strength to even talk after she drank that vile liquid. Just the taste of it drained her energy. “You wretched monst—”

“Let us not make you go through another round of purification, my dear,” Corneo purred. His voice was gentle, but she knew it was anything but. It was a warning—a warning that if she misbehaved again, there was going to be more than just purification. The only thing that made the anger inside her subside was through the tight clenching of her jaw.

“May I go back to my room?” she seethed.

“Of course. Dr. Hojo will be checking up on you sometime tonight.”

“…?” Her skin instantly began to crawl at the mention of that psychotic man’s name. Nothing good ever came from him. “Why is that so?”

“Why, of course, to make sure you’re healthy. Our messenger from the Promised Land cannot be fatigued, correct?” and he dismissed her before he left the prayer room as well, leaving her alone with the White Materia.

_ If only I could break it and shatter it into pieces _ .

Then, she left as well.

~.~.~

Nothing was going to change, and Aerith had already accepted that as raw truth when she had attempted to escape last year. She thought it was the perfect plan: steal one of the servant’s clothes during laundry service, take a vial of potion that could change one’s eyes to brown from Dr. Hojo’s lab, and escape from her chambers in the middle of the night. She believed that once she reached the outside, past the fence that bordered the palace, and into normal civilization again, she could seek the help she needed.

_ “Please, help me _ ,” she had pleaded to the military police, _“I’m being held captive, and I don’t know what to do. Please.”_

Instead of being saved, she was directly escorted back to the palace—word of her disappearance had already spread by the time she reached the center of town.

_ “She’s a little bit sick,”  _ Dr. Hojo had said, feigning concern. Then, he had pointed to his head. _“Illness has taken over, you see.”_

And the military police simply left, feeling satisfied that they were able to return such a fragile woman back where she belonged. Ever since then, Aerith had given up ever trying to leave the place. But at least here, all she had to do was act like some sort of goddess, deliver “prayers” to the Promised Land, and continue the fake act as a messenger of the Ancients. At least she wasn’t soiled nor ruined.

Only her purity as a virgin kept her sane. No one had ever touched her that way, for fear of dirtying the body of the Holy Being, and while there were other things she wished they wouldn’t do to her, at least preserving her body made her feel like she still belonged to herself.

And she believed that this would remain the case, until she walked into a servants’ conservation on her way back to her room from the Cleanse.

“Anything, from thievery to slaughter—as long as you have the money, he will do it. But he is not easy to commission. It is a hefty price to pay since he gets the job done—nice and clean,” and the servant jokingly ran a thumb across his neck before cackling in breathless laughter.

“Perhaps I should find and hire him to murder the cursed scoundrels that keep me up at night,” the other servant growled as he hung up some clothes. “Running around near my house like it is their property—annoying pests need to go away somewhere else.”

“Even if you were to have the money, I heard he is impossible to find. Deep within the red-light district— no sane person would go in there. Commoners like us would do best to stay far away.”

“Who needs anything when we get blessings from the Ancients themselves?” the servant sighed dreamily. “Once the gates to the Promised Land opens up, we need not worry about anything here on this Planet anymore!”

“You are absolutely right, my fellow comrade. Once the unification of the Holy Being and our leader finally happen, the Black Materia can finally be reformed!”

“Then we can all go to the Promised Land together!”

Instantly, Aerith’s blood ran cold. Unification? She didn’t hear anything about this. They possibly couldn’t mean…

_ Dr. Hojo will be checking up on you sometime tonight. _

“No…” Aerith nearly exposed her location from the pillar when her feet shuffled against the ground as she balanced herself from the shock. Gaining the attention of the servants, she swiftly plastered herself against the wood, holding her breath and remaining deathly silent like a windless night. She relaxed when she heard the tub of water sloshing again, indicating that the servants were again occupied by their duties. Once she determined that it was safe, she left the proximity.

“Cursed mongrel,” Aerith hissed as she locked herself in her chambers, not that it mattered—they had the key to everything in this palace.

She had always had an inkling, but now it was confirmed: Don Corneo never believed in the Promised Land. The only thing he was ever after was power and her body.

Shinra had only half of its power compared to before, but it was still enough to hold the reigns around these areas. With the death of Rufus Shinra, the last of the Shinra bloodline, five years ago, the once powerful religious group was reduced to a mere cult, led by a group of obsessive people thirsting for the search for the Promised Land. Despite the decrease in power, it had spanned too far for too many decades; its influence would not be easily erased within the epoch of five years. During this brief period of instability, even a nobody like Don Corneo could assume the chair of power.

And ever since his successful capture of the last Ancient on the Planet through his underground methods, Shinra’s followers began to exponentially grow in number again, blindly led by the false belief of a goddess that had the power to communicate with the Promised Land through the White Materia.

_ If only they knew. _

But currently, that was not Aerith’s issue. She couldn’t stay here any longer; she needed to escape if what the servants said was true. Surrendering herself to such a lewd man nearly triple her age…

Goosebumps raised across her arms, daring her to continue to think of such a disgusting image. She desperately needed to escape tonight—but how?

If she had known the answer, she would’ve successfully left this damned place already—the place they marketed as the “home of the Holy.”

_ Someone save me. _

No one was going to save her.

Then, she looked at her closet and felt her breath slowly exit out of her lungs, ragged and torn like the poor remains of a damaged doll. Slowly, her feet skidded against the floor as she dragged her limp body towards the closet. She had saved it just in case… just in case it came down to this. Opening her closet, she tugged at one of its bottoms and lifted the wood to reveal the contents from inside.

Rope.

Then, she looked up at the ceiling: a space between the wooden logs of the roof where she could loop it.

Hands trembling as she took a haggard breath, she felt emotions she hadn’t felt in a long time as they began to bleed as a lone tear.

_ “Be strong. Live life proudly as the last Cetra.” _

“I’m sorry, Mother.”

Dying was better than giving herself to such an organization.

Grabbing her chair, Aerith quickly propped herself up and slipped the rope between the widest space she could find between two wood pieces and tied a strong knot, making sure it was secure. Even with her mind fully determined, her body didn’t seem to be in sync as her hands trembled when tying a loop for her head.

_ I don’t want to die, I don’t want to die, I don’t want to die _ , her body seemed to scream, but she didn’t listen to its wants. Besides, wouldn’t she be able to go to the real Promised Land like this and reunite with her people? With her mother?

Furiously, she wiped the tears from her eyes that slipped by without her permission as she held the loop in front of her face.

“It’ll be over in a few minutes, and you never have to get purified again for the rest of your life, Aerith,” she sniffed. “No more Cleansing, no more experiments—no more. And you will die pure. And you’ll meet your mother again, and possibly your father, in the Promised Land. No more.”

Finally, she put her head through the loop and said her last prayers.

_ Please save me. _

And she kicked the chair and felt instant pressure building at the top of her head the moment her feet met the air. Gasping for oxygen, she dangled, throat emitting a deep, gurgling sound as her supply of air was cut off.

_ Soon. _

Then, the rope snapped, and she fell back onto the ground.

“ _Huff!_ ” Aerith shakily propped herself back up on all fours, suppressing her cough as the sweet, poisonous air filled her lungs again. Grasping onto the rope, her teary eyes took a closer look at it; it was too old and thin to withstand the tension. “Damn!”

“Holy Being, what is happening in there?” one of the servants yelled out of concern.

“I am continuing to send my prayers to the Ancients!” Aerith managed to spit out as an excuse.

“Oh, we are so lucky to have someone like you as a messenger. Please bless me and my son!” and all suspicion died away just like that, along with her will to live.

“You cannot let me die either, huh?” Aerith nearly laughed at the irony of it, and she wasn’t sure who she was even directing her curses at anymore. Stuffing the useless rope back into her closet, she knelt on her knees in front of her low table and stared at her void expression in the small mirror.

Even though she was nearly at death’s door, her composure oddly returned within a matter of seconds. Perhaps she was too used to the feeling of disappointment—the feeling that no matter what she did, nothing would ever go the way she wanted. Even her own attempt at taking her life failed. _How pathetic._

Once her heart rate calmed and the natural fear of death subsided, she steeled herself. Unification. Escape. She needed to think.

_ Anything, from thievery to slaughter—as long as you have the money, he will do it. _

“No,” Aerith shook her head, stopping herself from believing such tales.

Her only connection to the outside world was through the gossip of her followers that floated around the palace. While most of their conversations were anything but useful, there was a topic that had caught her ears many times before. The existence of a man, whose sea-green eyes could pierce through one-hundred soldiers’ morale and sword heavier than fifty of those from a common samurai. Be it delivery, murder, stealing, or escorting, nothing escaped his list of commissions he was willing to perform as long as he received his payment.

The red-light district was not far from here either. If what the servants were saying was true, perhaps…

_ Be strong. Live life proudly as the last Cetra. _

Aerith continued to stare at her reflection in the mirror. Her hair pooled onto the ground, long from its overgrowth since they believed that long hair was a characteristic of a goddess. Standing up, it would go past her bottom and hit the back of her thighs.

It needed to go.

She grabbed the handle of her mirror, and in one swift arm stroke, smashed it against the corner of her desk, littering glass shards everywhere on the floor. Taking the biggest broken piece, she began to shred at her hair as it collected pitifully on the ground.

_ It’s now or never _ , Aerith thought to herself as she shuffled through her closet for her secret stash of things that she had stolen over the course of four years. Finding the last energy pill that she had saved for so long, she swallowed it down her throat, praying that it would give her and her fasted state enough energy to make her escape. Now was the best time for it too. Immediately after a Cleansing, surveillance on her was the lowest. Whatever they put in that black liquid they forced her to digest had the ability to strip her of her strength to even move for the rest of the day before dinner time.

Years of studying the patterns of the people outside her room proved itself useful as well. She knew who would pass by and when, and she knew the schedule of the guards in charge of her ultimate security as well. In ten minutes, they would go out for dinner, which gave the moon enough time to completely settle in with the darkness of the night. It took five minutes for the guards to rotate—five minutes for her to slip past and head for the woods that led straight out the palace and towards the direction of the red-light district.

But there was one thing she had to do before she could make that escape.

When the servants and followers headed out for dinner, she waited for the rustling of the guards’ armor to go as well. Once she did, it was time to go.

The moment she couldn’t hear anyone’s footsteps near her room anymore, Aerith opened the door, peeked outside, and slipped quietly past the pillars, making sure no one was within her wake as she headed towards the prayer room. It was never guarded because they never would’ve thought it would go anywhere: the White Materia. 

As expected, no one was in the room, and there it stood, flowing with tangible mako within its sphere as it glowed iridescently under the dim candles that surrounded it. Her nimble form was just a few feet away from it when her heart stopped at the sound of the side door opening.

“Dr. Hojo, as clever as always, aren’t you?”

Aerith pressed herself against one of the pillars opposite from the side door, hand gripping tightly over her mouth as she suppressed as much noise from her breathing as possible when she heard the familiar voice of Don Corneo’s.

“Oh, do not flatter me so much, my lord,” cackled Hojo’s ever-so-sickening voice. “You know as well as I do about how much I love… _concocting_ new creations.”

“Absolutely brilliant. When will her check-up be?”

“After dinner. Orders had been sent out to not give her any food, or else it will block the full effects of the pill. Especially after a Cleansing, this will definitely work.”

Aerith moved by a millimeter just to peek at where their positions were, only to snap her head back against the pillar—they were merely a few feet away from the where she was hiding.

“Finally, I can ravage that Ancient’s divine body—the delicious feast I’ve been raising for the past four years. Her hair, her slimness, from the top of her head to her very toes! The Ancient bloodline indeed runs through those delicate veins of hers.”

“To get so excited before the night you finally unite with your bride—you must calm down, my lord,” Hojo chuckled. “These things are better to be… _patient_ with. But if you are ever so impatient, that is okay as well. With this pill, she will be yours in a matter of seconds, prepared and aroused to your liking.”

“Expect a great reward for your efforts, Dr. Hojo.”

“It is my honor.”

Heavy footsteps began to thump against the ground and towards the altar. Clasping her hands together in a desperate prayer, she closed her eyes and used her senses to carefully maneuver behind the pillar and continue to stay away from their sight.

“What luck—to discover the last two beings of the Ancient bloodline! And to carry the White Materia as well! Tis a shame the beautiful mother had to go, but surely, I have done great deeds in my past life for this day.”

“Indeed, you may have,” Hojo crossed his arms as he watched Corneo admire the swirling energy within the sphere. “Indeed.”

“Make sure everything goes according to plan tonight,” came Corneo’s command. “She _will_ be mine.”

“Yes, my lord.”

“We must be off for dinner. Come along.”

And footsteps shuffled a few more times before the door shut and silence finally returned.

“Mother,” Aerith breathed the moment once it was just her again in the prayer room. As she clutched at her chest painfully, the horrific conversation she just heard kept replaying in her head. Pill. Feast. _Bride._

They had planned to drug her. If she had stayed even a moment longer…

Heart racing and ears drumming, the fear and anxiety of being caught fueled her as she grabbed onto the White Materia, slipped it into her kimono, and tightened it to make sure that it would not fall out.

Creating a map of the area in her head, Aerith routed the path she would take in a matter of seconds: past the garden, behind the fountain, into the woods, over the fence, and towards the red-light district.

Then, she ran.


	2. based on a useless whim

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So today's Friday LOL So here is chapter 2 of this new story! Thank you to those who left kudos and comments, it is very nice to see people enjoying it at the beginning already, so hopefully, I don't disappoint! I'm also proofreading this a lot better than I did my other stories, so hopefully there are no typos, but I could really be jinxing myself as I speak HAHAHA But nonetheless, I hope the story goes on good! Enjoy c: (i hope for a lot of things, i realized xDDD)

“Congratulations, my lord!” exclaimed a follower once Corneo sat at one of their tables. “For your marriage! If we had known that this could reform the Black Materia, we would have urged for this union so much earlier!”

“The Ancients simply gave us guidance,” Corneo smiled as he smelled the delectable scent of braised pork. “A message, one that the Holy Being received just recently last week during her private prayers. From the Promised Land, they could not wait for our arrival.”

“And we too are eager to greet! Oh, the Holy Being’s existence is such a blessed one indeed!”

Corneo’s smile grew bigger as he gestured towards the food with one hand, mind too occupied with what was to come for him tonight to speak. “Your patience shall be rewarded, but until then, the food is getting cold. Do not wait any longer.”

Before he could even eat a single bite, the guards had bustled through the doors, uneasiness dark on their faces.

“My lord,” one of them approached him by the side and spoke in a low voice, making sure that none of the followers could hear. “We have alarming news.”

“What is so important that you dare interrupt my dinner?” Corneo growled. His guards knew better than to interrupt his meal time. “Speak.”

“It is about the Holy Being.”

“Did she collapse from today’s Cleanse? Leave her be—better than her trying to plan a futile escape,” the fat man dismissed. When the guard didn’t leave, Corneo’s eyes flashed dangerously. “Did you not hear what I sai—”

“My lord, the Holy Being—she’s missing.”

~.~.~

Aerith could not run as fast with her pair of geta. So, she simply took them off her feet and threw them at the opposite direction, not caring if the sharp ends of the fallen branches pierced the skin of her feet. The adrenaline that pumped through her blood made her senses numb to the hurt as she sprinted towards the fence. She had already been out for thirty minutes; surely, word of her disappearance had already begun to travel.

They couldn’t catch up to her so easily. She doubted any of them would ever imagine that she would go towards the red-light district, a place that could possibly get her involved in much more horrifying things than what she had to deal with in the palace—but she didn’t care. She needed to find him: the man with sea-green eyes. He was her only way out. He could take her away from this place—far, far away where Shinra’s hands couldn’t reach her. He could protect her until she felt like she would never encounter any of her psychotic followers again, to a place where the name “Shinra” was unheard of.

She desperately needed to find him.

 _But what if you can’t?_ the voice in her head belittled her. _The red-light district is a place that can easily take your frail body and sell it to unnamed lands the moment you step foot inside it. Risking possibly your life based on a mere whim—how foolish._

No, she couldn’t think about such hopeless thoughts right now—not when she had already committed the sin of stealing the White Materia. Even the Holy Being couldn’t possibly be spared from taking the precious jewel outside of the palace.

The only thing that waited for her back in the palace was an exorcism if she was ever caught.

_You will not be caught. So just keep running. **Keep running**._

_Boom! Boom! Boom!_

Taken aback from the sound of drums from the distance, Aerith lost her footing, tripped against a root of a large tree, and tumbled onto the ground, scrapping her knees against the rocks as she instantly whipped her head towards the direction she just came from.

“Impossible,” she whispered.

The guards were already on her trail. Bright torches lit the palace as taiko drums sounded the emergency. As she followed the trail of light, her blood ran cold—a few troops were already coming towards her direction.

Scrambling wildly, she picked herself back up as the stench of the blood from her knees pungently invaded her sense of smell. In the darkness of the woods, she could see the form of the white fence from afar and mustered all of the strength left in her legs to sprint down the hill. With tattered kimono rubbing against her legs, she grabbed onto the fence with her thin hands and began to climb over.

“Your Holy Being!”

The sound of hooves beating the floor thumped behind her as one of the troops caught up. “Please come down! Jenova has taken over you again—we must purify you before she completely possesses you!”

 _Faster, faster_ , Aerith didn’t dare look back as she climbed the last one-third of the fence. Already, she could hear the guards climbing down from their horses and running towards her. The fence swayed as they too grasped onto the metal wires, beginning their ascent to bring her down.

“Your Holy Being, please!”

Aerith swung a kick into a face when one of them tried to grab onto her, but distracted, felt another grip onto her ankle. Grasping onto the fence for dear life, she could feel hot tears run down her face.

_No, not like this._

She already made it this far. From the horizon, she could see the red and yellow lights from district, taunting her as they flashed their finish line right in front of her eyes as she felt the guards attempt to pull her down despite all her struggles. She had put all her bets on this escape, exhausted the last of her energy just to make it this far—and to be caught? And once she was caught, they were going to throw her in the chamber, purify her in front of everyone, and strip her of any pride she had left as the last Cetra on the Planet as her ears grew deaf from demonic chants that asked the Ancients for forgiveness. And after that…

_Finally, I can ravage that Ancient’s divine body—the delicious feast I’ve been raising for the past four years. Her hair, her slimness, from the top of her head to her very toes!_

“No! Unhand me!”

“Please, the lord will save you from Jenova, and then together we can cross the Promised Land together!”

“I said _unhand me!_ ”

Something within her snapped, and a feeling of rejuvenation that she had never felt before in her life sprung up from deep inside her like a hot geyser. Her vision went green, and before she even knew what had happened, the guards stopped their attempts at capture, loosened their hold on the fence, and fell back down against the ground. Not wasting any time to even question why they suddenly stopped going after her, Aerith heaved herself over the fence, swung her legs over the edge, and jumped back down onto the ground on the other side.

“Your Holy Being!”

The cries of the guards escaped her ears as she raced towards the crowd of people. However, she had to stop behind a tree before she could enter civilization. If the military police were already bought by Shinra’s influence after her last major escape, then it was best not to look like she had just escaped from the direction of the palace. Anyone’s eyes would instantly lock onto her pale, weak, and ragged figure just stumbling blindly through the district.

Taking some blood that bled from her knees, she patted them on her lips and rubbed some on her cheeks so that she could look less sickly. Her hair was still long enough to tie in a bun, so she rapidly combed through her hair with her fingers and tied it up before she covered her reddened knees. Her kimono was not in the greatest shape, but it would have to suffice before she patted as much dirt off of it as she could. Once she felt like she looked normal enough to not gain any attention, she left the tree and finally integrated herself within society.

Even though she had finally made it this far without being caught, now her worries sprung back as reality hit her hard. She wasn’t free just yet; she had come here with no plan. It was only time until the energy pill wore off, and once it did, she doubted she could stand much longer. The smell of freshly made food didn’t help either as it wafted torturously underneath her nose, taunting her as she felt her stomach painfully collapse against her ribs. It took all she could not to bump into anyone as she walked through lines of people with basically no plan, no lead, nor any idea how she could continue her escape from here on out.

With just a useless jewel within her possession, she might as well drop dead and end her misery here; it was only a matter of time until Shinra caught her again.

 _Maybe I should try to find another way to die_ , a dark part of her began to ponder. She watched as men enjoyed their drinks out in the open while women with heavy make-up catered towards these men for their patronage. The lights of the red and yellow lanterns brightly lit not only the surroundings, but also the atmosphere as the more joyous parts of the district sprung to life at the busiest time of dinner. If Aerith had not heard about the darker side of what encompassed this district, she would have naively believed that no wrong could go around these parts. She could see the more fearful prospects of the district through the black alleyways which led to destinations unknown; all she knew was that she would be even more foolish to traverse through them.

 _But where to begin?_ Sea-green eyes—that was not much help as people passed by her, paying no heed to her presence as they chatted idly amongst themselves. Should she stop everyone that passed by that bore even a slight resemblance? Of course not, unless she wanted the military police to be quicker on her tail.

Just when she was about to fully accept the fact that she truly did come here on a useless whim, something stirred inside her, a feeling almost similar to what she felt when she escaped the guards. Were these her Cetra powers acting up?

Born to a human father and a full-blooded Cetra, Aerith was not as efficient as her mother in harnessing their race’s power. While Ifalna was able to manipulate the energy of mako, the Planet’s life source, and use it as a power, the only thing Aerith was able to do was communicate with the Planet and its lifeforms through the flow of mako and possibly heal a wilted flower. If only her mother was here with her, she could learn more…

Mako was not visible to the human eye nor did it present itself in any form on these lands. The only evidence that indicated its existence in their current time outside of history books was the White Materia, whose contents were of just condensed mako—so dense that it was able to swirl as a visible entity to the human eye. Because of this very reason, the White Materia was a prized national treasure, held under Shinra’s hands after their capture of the last two Cetras on the planet.

And she had just stolen it. Holy Being or not, Aerith was bound to be tried for treason.

Focusing on this weird feeling, she found her feet bringing her towards a location—a destination. She could feel it: the presence of a string of mako somewhere within these shops. But why? Her footsteps were slow at first, but they gradually gained speed as her heart began to beat faster. Was it out of anticipation? Excitement? Apprehension?

She didn’t know, but she was going to find out.

Her feet stopped her in front of a local bar, whose wooden sign barely hung atop its front as the paint peeled from the wood. While it looked run down, there was a sort of charm to it as the bamboo door behind it glowed with the bright light of candles from within and lanterns hanging by the entrance, inviting and warm.

 _7 th Heaven_, the sign read.

With no hesitance, Aerith allowed the mako connection to attract and pull her in as she slid the bamboo door open, stepped in, and shut it back closed.

Noise surrounded her from every direction as the place crowded with people. Some sat on the floor with their drinks while others stood in circles. The heavy scent of alcohol drowned the air, causing Aerith to cover her nose. At the smell of liquor on an empty stomach, she felt quite queasy, but besides that, the whole environment of the tavern almost made her feel relaxed, comfortable, _safe._

Until she saw the insignia of the military police on the uniforms of a group of men by the side.

Feeling her fight-or-flight response kicking back in, Aerith desperately sought for the connection that brought her all the way over here. She should’ve just left the moment she saw the military police, but something within her told her that she needed to get closer to whatever was pulling her.

Coming over to the side where they served drinks, she swiftly approached a figure who sat at one of the chairs, back facing towards her with a drink in front of him. Reaching out a hand, she grabbed onto his shoulder and abruptly turned him.

Sapphire eyes. Spiky blond hair pulled in a short ponytail. Dark-blue yukata with a large sword strapped behind it. The man that the mako connection led her to.

“Help me,” she fiercely whispered. Her breath was already heavy; the pill was wearing off. “Please.”

She shouldn’t have done this. The last time she begged for someone’s help, she was escorted right back to the clutches of the palace. She should’ve been more cautious and less suspicious, but her sense of reason escaped her as she felt the mako pulsate in the air between them and fatigue building every second.

Her hand didn’t stay on his shoulder for long as one of his reached out, grabbed her wrist, and twisted it away from him, nearly snapping it in half as his eyes glowed dangerously.

“Who are you?”

When she looked into his eyes, she nearly got lost in the depths of his blue eyes, but it was something else that caught her attention. The longer she looked at them, the more something began to change. The color flickered, and slowly, the sapphire blue evaporated to become a sparking sea-green.

Mako.

“Your eyes,” she gasped. “You’re the one I’ve been looking for.”

At the mention of his eyes, his other hand covered them from her view, confusion written on his face as he stared at her, surprised.

“Who are you?” he repeated.

“I’ve come from the palace. I need you to get me as far away as possible, please,” she pleaded, voice hoarse as she shrugged off his hold on her and began to grasp him by the shoulders. “The military police will be after me. I heard you’ll do any job, as long as I pay you. I need to get out of here, I need to—”

Then, before she knew it, her entire world became black as she lost all consciousness.

~.~.~

“Oi,” Cloud got off his chair as the mysterious woman suddenly slumped over and lost all strength in her legs. Catching her, he pulled her up, only for her head to loll back; she had passed out. “Hey, what is going o—”

“Young lad, is something the matter? There was quite a ruckus between you two. Is she okay?”

Cloud pulled the woman up so that her head could rest against his shoulder as he addressed more unwelcomed company. His eyes quickly caught the military insignia on his clothes and sighed.

“She is quite unwell,” was the only answer he offered.

“Got a little bit too much to drink, eh? Do you know her?”

“… No.”

The officer chuckled heartily. “It appeared so; she seemed to be quite an annoyance to you. We can get her off your shoulders for you then since we are quite too used to dealing with drunkards around here. Some have been causing trouble around these parts of town lately, so we’ve been stationed to take care of them troublemakers. If only crimes happened instead, then we’d be doing our job properly…” The officer blinked twice, realizing how he was just complaining about his job to a random customer. “Sorry, I digress; I can take care of her for you.”

Cloud sighed as he nodded and began to prop the woman up for the officer to take. “Thank yo—”

_The military police will be after me._

Then, he pulled her back, earning a curious look from the officer.

“I’ll take care of it,” Cloud said slowly. In response, the military officer merely grinned.

“Making her your woman tonight, I see.”

“…”

Patting his shoulder encouragingly, the officer let out another obnoxious laugh before he gave Cloud another sly grin. “Forgive me for the interruption. I shall stop bothering you now, young lad.”

“Thank you.”

And the officer left.

“Cloud.” Another woman’s voice called for him from behind the counter, ruby eyes concerned at the entire scene she had just witnessed.

“Get me a room in the back,” he growled as he heaved the unknown woman up in his arms. “And get me another potion for my eyes.”

“Why?” Tifa peered into his eyes and frowned. “They’re still blue.”

“…” Cloud gave another look at the pale woman’s face before he stormed into the back for a room.

“She doesn’t look good,” Tifa said once they entered a room with more lights. She quickly opened a closet and started setting out a futon on the floor. “Why didn’t you just let the officer handle it?”

“I was about to,” he said as he roughly put the woman onto the ground and carelessly tossed the blanket over her. “But then I remembered how she said she was getting chased by the military police.”

“And?”

“At least give her a chance to run when she’s not blacked out.”

Tifa rolled her eyes as she carefully rearranged the blanket. “Of course. That sounds very typical of you. Dear lord, she looks like she hasn’t eaten in days. And she’s running a fever too. Are you sure you don’t know her?”

“Of course not; she said she came from the palace.”

Tifa froze in her moments as she let Cloud’s words sink in. Then, she suddenly stood up and gave Cloud an incredulous stare.

“Do you know what you are doing right now? We must return her immediately; getting involved with the palace is never a good thing. And if they come here, we’ll be—”

“We’ll kick her out the moment she wakes up,” Cloud interrupted, not looking forward to another one of Tifa’s rants. “I just have a question for her.”

“Question? You have a question for a person you don’t know?”

“Just go outside and provide for your customers; I’ll handle it from here.”

Tifa warily looked between the unconscious woman and Cloud, who seemed impatient for her to wake up. Knowing better than to push his buttons any further, Tifa placed a damp towel across the woman’s head before she returned to the front.

~.~.~

_“O mighty Ancients, from the far skies of the Promised Land, we beg for your forgiveness!”_

_“Forgiveness!”_

_Aerith couldn’t throw anything up anymore as Corneo pounded her back with a metal stick. With eyes blurry, she didn’t know how long she had been here, naked and shivering as the eyes of her followers bore into every inch of her skin. A gong boomed behind her, shaking not only her core, but the very grounds of the palace._

_“Jenova has once again possessed the body of our Holy Being; we beg for your forgiveness and your blessings to cure this child!” Another one of the leaders refilled the bucket with holy water before emptying its contents onto the Cetra, liquid piercing her skin like icicles as she struggled to remain standing on her knees._

_“Forgiveness!” Corneo roared._

_“Forgiveness!” the crowd roared back, and another whip against her back was delivered as Jenova was slowly “vanquished” from her body._

_“O mighty Ancients, we shall purify the evilness within our Holy Being! And together, we shall continue to seek the path to the Promised Land and meet your godliness soon! O bless our Holy Being! For eternal life and fortune!”_

_“For eternal life and fortune!”_

**_Someone save me._ **

“Save me!”

Aerith gasped for breath, shooting up from where she laid as oxygen filled her lungs once more. Her throat felt like it was being clawed from the inside as her heart rate rumbled her entire body. Sweat matting her forehead and her back, Aerith frantically looked around and took in her surroundings.

She was not in the palace.

“You’re awake.”

Eyes darting immediately to her right, she instantly drew the blankets closer to her as she crawled away from the figure who pushed himself off the wall and slowly approached her.

“W-where am I?” Aerith stammered, panic too slow to fade away. “And who are y—”

“That’s what I should be asking you,” he interjected coldly. “Do you not remember how you got here?”

Aerith’s head hurt as she struggled to piece together her memories before she ended up here. Corneo. Bride. Drug. Escape. Red-light district. 7th Heaven. Military police. Sea-green eyes.

That was right; she had fled the palace, and no one had come to get her yet.

“The owner of this bar was gracious enough to tend to you and feed you very precious potions in order to rejuvenate your pitiful state,” the blond man squatted down in front of her, intimidating as he mako eyes glowed underneath the amber light. “So, I have just one question for you before I see to it that you’re out of here: how were you able to see the color of my eyes?”

“The color of your eyes is what they appear to be,” Aerith said slowly, confused as to why he was asking such a question with an obvious answer.

“Which is?”

“Mako.”

Aerith suddenly found herself lifted up from the ground by her kimono and pressed against the hard wood of the room as her hair unraveled itself from its bun. She had never met a man with such a fierce gaze as his before as she stared at him, shocked at the sudden rough treatment.

“How are you able to see through the color-changing potion?” he hissed. “Is this some sort of witchcraft that I have never been informed of?”

“Unhand me,” Aerith swiped at his arm, and he let his arm fall as she escaped to the other side of the room for a better sense of safety. “You. Are you the man who will accept any commission as long as you are paid?”

“I do no such thing.”

“Lie.”

The man crossed his arms and huffed an annoyed sigh. Giving her one last look, he went towards the door and opened it.

“Now that you’re awake, I believe it is time for you to go.”

“Excuse me?”

When she didn’t move an inch, Cloud stormed back over to her, grabbed her by the wrist, and tugged her out. Her strength was no match for his as he dragged her from the rooms and towards the back entrance of the tavern.

Immediately, droplets of rain splashed against her skin when they were outside as she felt herself thrown forward. With not enough momentum to stop, she fell to the ground, mud pressed underneath her as rain poured down from the dark, grey skies above.

“I suggest you start planning an efficient escape starting now,” the man advised with no hint of sympathy in his voice. “If what you’re saying is true, that the military police is chasing you, then you better get moving.”

After living in the cursed palace for four years, she had none of her pride left to save as Aerith crawled over and bowed before him, placing all her last hopes on the man as she forced her voice to remain strong and steady.

“I beg of you, please,” Aerith managed to cough out. “I am currently being held captive in the palace. I cannot live there anymore, and if I have to, I would rather kill myself here and die rather then go back to that wretched place. If it is within your ability, please take me to a place of safety. I plead with all the life left in me.”

“You are asking the wrong person at the wrong place,” he said, answering in such a sharp tone that Aerith doubted he took into consideration the weight of her words. “Any business concerning the palace, I do not want to be a part of.”

“I’ll pay you. A man in the red-light district with sea-green eyes—it has to be you. No one around here has such color like yours. Do not lie; I see right through foolish things.”

“There is no li—”

“ _Please._ ”

Steely, ice-cold eyes sharpened their gaze at her as she groveled at his feet, rain pouring from the clouds as they threatened to release their thunderous cries upon the earth. The chilling sting of the sharp droplets didn’t faze her as she kept her head low, low enough for her forehead to graze against the mud as it stained her once-rosy cheeks, now blue from the cold.

She didn’t know how long she continued to stay in this position, begging and desperate. Whether it was seconds or minutes—she couldn’t tell. All she knew was that she looked weak and pathetic, with brown, silky tresses now matted with dirt and kimono completely sopped and drenched. However, she didn’t care.

He was her only way out.

Then, he let out another frustrated breath, finally giving in.

“It’s going to cost you.”

His voice. It was hard. Cold. Unforgiving. But she had dealt with worse before.

“How much?”

“More than just a few gold pieces, I assure you.”

“I don’t think we have a problem then.”

She sat up, tall and majestic despite her pitiful state, just how she was trained for so many torturous years. Emerald eyes staring straight into his mako ones, she loosened her obi and slipped the cloth down her slender shoulders.

If she elicited any reaction from him, then she didn’t see it. Unmoving, his eyes never left hers as she reached inside the deepest pocket within her kimono. Then, she took it out.

The White Materia.

Finally, he showed a reaction.

“What’s your destination?” he asked lowly. There was no question; he knew exactly who she was now.

“Far,” she bluntly answered. “Far, far away.”


	3. payment or no deal

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It's Fridaaaaay (barely) I have an exam tomorrow, so maybe I'll wake up before the exam for happy comments before I take it HAHAHA But yes! Third chapter, and I hope it's gonna continue going well. It seems like this story might be longer than I thought... but whatever, right xD? I hope you guys enjoy this one~

Tifa closed her shop once the last customer left. Blowing out the flames of the lanterns and candles that had welcomed the customers during the night, she secured the bamboo door before she went to the back. To say that her mind was not filled with worry would be a lie; Cloud had suddenly accepted a commission from a person of the palace. If they were ever caught…

When she entered the room at the back, she did not expect to see both of them soaked from head to toe, with the woman’s kimono terribly dirtied by what seemed like mud. Even though her hair was back into a bun, her hair still appeared untidy, messy, and tangled.

Whether it be man or woman, Cloud didn’t seem to differentiate between the two with his rough treatment.

“So, you are claiming that you are the Holy Being?” Cloud scoffed as Tifa entered the room. Immediately, the unknown woman’s eyes darted over to the door, questioning Tifa’s presence in their private conversation. Seeing her apprehension, Cloud sighed and waved a hand in the air. “Do not worry about her; pretend that she isn’t here.”

“I’d rather not disclose any information to an outsider,” Aerith stated, discomfort clear and evident in her voice as she regarded Tifa. “Because I don’t tru—”

“I don’t work alone,” Cloud explained. “It is hard to gain whatever reputation that has reached your ears by myself. I have comrades by my side that help me with the commissions, and she is one of them. It is within your best interest that she stays here to listen as well.”

Aerith gave Tifa one last hesitant look before she returned back to the topic at hand. “You are asking an odd question when I clearly have stated who I am. It seems as if you don’t believe me.”

Cloud raised an eyebrow. “The Holy Being has no reason to be here and outside the palace where she is worshipped.”

“Unless she escapes.”

“Impersonators are quite popular around these areas.”

At disbelief that the man didn’t seem to believe her, Aerith held the White Materia in her hands and showed it in front of his eyes once more. “I don’t believe impersonators could easily have their hands on this.”

“Stealing is a profession around these areas as well.”

While Aerith didn’t understand what Cloud was trying to do, Tifa did—he was trying to gauge whether or not he was dealing with a fake. If it were her, she would’ve believed the woman, but Cloud was a lot more careful with this type of business more than anyone else.

“Why would you care about my identity or how I got the White Materia?” Aerith countered frustratedly. “I have the payment, you do the job—is that not how it works?”

“I am just trying to get a read on you, but you are correct,” Cloud answered. Then, he locked eyes with Aerith, nearly sending a shiver down her back at how impassive they looked. “I do not need that information to do my job.” Stretching out his hand, he signaled for the White Materia. “Now if you could hand over your payment.”

Aerith clutched the White Materia closer to her chest as she refused to give it to him right away. “Bring me to a place faraway, and I will give it to you.”

His eye twitched in annoyance; it was his policy to receive the payment first, or no deal. However, before he could press for it, unwelcomed knocking banged against the entrance of the bar. Cloud and Tifa shared a silent look before he jerked a head towards the general direction.

“Don’t say anything,” he advised.

“Of course not,” Tifa rolled her eyes before she exited the room to attend to whoever was at the front. Not understanding what was going on, Aerith remained standing. It was only when she heard who was at the front that her blood ran cold.

“We are the military police, under the commands of Shinra Palace,” a booming voice announced. “We are going through all homes and shops of the red-light district in search of the Holy Being. Because she is known to be mentally ill, it is of our utmost priority to bring her back into the safe hands of the palace.”

“Hold on just a moment here, officers,” Tifa tried to prevent them from entering, but her words were ignored as troops raided the bar.

“Please,” Aerith stooped down to Cloud’s level and began to plead once again as her green eyes began to sting. “You cannot let them find me. They are going to force me to go back to that horrid place, and they will do much worse things than before because of my escape. _Please._ ”

Cloud did not seem moved as he stared at her anguished face, and just like before, he held out a hand.

“Payment.”

Aerith furiously shook her head; she could not hand over her only object of value without guaranteeing her safe arrival. “I promise with my life, as my pride as a Cetra, that I will give you the White Materia once you get me to somewhere sa—”

Shoes began to thump closer as they infiltrated the back of the bar and towards their room. Even with their footsteps, Cloud remained unchanged as he signaled for the jewel.

“Payment,” he repeated.

Right when they were about to turn the doorknob, Aerith shoved the White Materia into his hands.

“Save me.”

And with lightning-quick reaction time, he rolled the jewel over to a corner of the room and behind a few boxes before he reached behind Aerith’s head. Untying her bun, he pushed her down against the futon before loosening her obi and tossing it in front of the door. Immediately, Aerith’s face began to redden tremendously as her eyes widened and her hands moved to desperately pull her kimono over her chest.

“What are you—”

“Shh,” he commanded as he loosened his own yukata before he dove his face into her neck. Then, the door opened.

“Search every corner, and don’t let anything pass your eye— _oh_.”

The officers momentarily dropped their jaws to the floor as they saw two semi-naked bodies sprawled against the futon, so they were quick to close the door again to give the two supposed lovers some privacy. If they had stayed for just a second longer, they would’ve seen that nothing was happening, and possibly could’ve recognized the face of the Holy Being as well.

Once the officers showed no indication of ever coming back to check, Cloud immediately removed himself from Aerith and reached over to throw her obi back at her, eyes never derailing from the walls as he fixed his yukata up.

“Sorry,” was all he offered, not seeing the dumbstruck expression on Aerith as he walked over to retrieve the White Materia. Aerith quickly retied her obi back around her waist, heart still rapidly beating against her chest as it took many seconds for the heat to cool off her face. Never in her life was she ever so close to a man around her age before, so she couldn’t describe the weird feeling she felt as she shakily ran her fingers through her hair.

Once all the officers were done searching the bar only to find nothing, Tifa returned to the room, immediately noticing the change in atmosphere between the two. However, she didn’t question; there was only one thing that could’ve happened to make the officers shut the door so quick like that.

“It seems that your situation is dire,” Cloud remarked as he held the White Materia up towards the light, marveling at the energy that swirled within the orb. “You were not lying.”

“I have no reason to lie,” Aerith said as she brought herself back up from the futon. “And now I have given you my payment. I expect that you are to do what I have asked of you.”

“Are you not capable of less formal speech?” scoffed Cloud, showing his slight annoyance at how prim and proper Aerith sounded. “If you want to escape from here, it would be best if you could assume another identity.”

Before Aerith could throw another remark back at how seemingly rude the man was, his attention was already off of hers as he directed it towards Tifa. “Bring Barret, Biggs, and Jessie. We will depart soon. It’ll be a matter of time until they do a second, more thorough, search of the place once the useless military police come back with no leads.”

“Yes, I will. And where will you be taking her?” Tifa asked. Cloud simply gave a small, rueful smile.

“Somewhere far, far away. Am I correct?”

Aerith slowly nodded, surprised that he was quick to act once he received his payment.

“Cloud,” he introduced himself, shocking Aerith just momentarily.

“And I’m Tifa,” the raven-haired said next. “And you?”

Even though this was all just business, Aerith couldn’t help but feel a tiny bit of joy; when was the last time anyone ever asked for her name, much less call her by it?

“Aerith,” she finally answered back.

“We shall leave before the sun rises,” Cloud informed once the introductions were over. He walked to another corner of the room. There laid a thin katana—much thinner than his own large sword—and he took it within his hands. Tifa excused herself, but not before retrieving a spare kimono more fitting for a commoner. Even through dirt and mud, anyone could notice the expensive silk of Aerith’s kimono.

“Change into this after a bath, Aerith,” Tifa said kindly as she settled the neatly folded cloth and obi next to her on the floor. “It is much better for you to wear clean, less eye-catching clothes.”

“Thank you,” Aerith said as Cloud drew out the glistening katana. She looked at it warily; what was he going to do with that?

“Turn around,” he instructed her, earning both Tifa’s and Aerith’s curiosity as he felt the sharp tip of the blade. “We can’t have you looking like this when we travel.”

“Looking like what?”

“Your hair is too long.”

Immediately, Aerith gathered her hair and hugged it closely to her, flabbergasted at what he had just proposed. She had already cut it at what she deemed was a suitable-enough length back at the palace—he possibly couldn’t have wanted it even shorter.

“My hair is not too long,” Aerith said defensively, taking a step back with every step Cloud took forward. “I have already cut it before my escape.” Before she could possibly ask Tifa for help, the woman was already out of the room to call more of their comrades over; it was just them two alone once more.

“Must I show you a mirror?” Cloud growled. “Your hair is at the level of your bottom; even when tied up, anyone can recognize the long length of your hair.”

“I cut a foot of it off already,” Aerith attempted to continue arguing, but it was futile as Cloud spun her around by the shoulder and forced her to give up her hair.

“When you’re escaping under my care, I think it would be wise if you listened to what I said,” Cloud sighed as he moved the blade up and down against her tresses, gauging an appropriate length to cut it at. “Now don’t move or else I might cut something else off other than your hair.”

Aerith closed her eyes as she resigned herself to her fate. Even though she hated how the palace forced her to grow her hair out to such an outrageous length, a part of her still admired it. It was one of the only things she was able to care for when she was in the palace, and to see it so cruelly chopped off was a bit heart-wrenching.

Once he found an appropriate length, he sliced her hair horizontally, and down her hair fell to her feet, their silkiness shining sadly against the light. Her hands instinctively reached up to feel her hair and see how far he had cut—it went past her mid-shoulders only by a little bit.

This was the usual length she had kept her hair before she was captured by the palace.

“That should be enough,” he sighed, sounding as if he had just performed a laborious task. “Now we need to get rid of the evide—”

The last thing Cloud expected was to hear sniffling from the woman who was so strongheaded just a few moments ago. She wasn’t facing him, but he could tell that she was crying. Did he cut her hair too short? Maybe he should’ve left it a little bit longer.

His slight concerns did not linger too long before Aerith collected herself, and returned was her look of determination as she picked up the clothes that Tifa had left for her.

“Where is the bath?” she asked.

“Down the hall, to your left,” he answered. She didn’t say more as she left to clean herself from all the dirt and discard her now-soiled kimono, thanks to him. Once she was out of his presence, he heaved another sigh before he took out the White Materia once more to study it.

“The White Materia, hm?”

When Aerith was done with her bath, she stepped out and looked at herself in the full-sized mirror. The steam from the hot water—which she hadn’t felt in forever since there was only cold water for her back in the palace—condensed atop the glass of the mirror. Reaching out, she wiped away at it to reveal her reflection. While her skin was still pale, some color returned to her cheeks. Her body was still very skinny from all the palace activities, but she did not feel as weak as she did just a few hours before; the potions that Tifa fed her must’ve been very valuable since it was able to rejuvenate her this much despite having not eaten for almost two days.

“I’m going to run far, far away,” she whispered to herself, emerald eyes filled with a little bit more life to them as she realized how far she had made it. While the palace was still visible from the red-light district, she never felt so accomplished before as she nearly burst into laughter at the thought of the entire place scurrying around like rats in search of her. This was the longest time she had ever been outside of the palace, and she was going to see to it that it would stretch on forever.

_Knock, knock!_

“Done?”

Cloud’s voice sounded impatient as he urged her to hurry it up. “My comrades are here. We don’t have much time to waste before Shinra soldiers begin to be dispatched in search for you.”

At the sound of his call, Aerith grew embarrassed; it was within palace culture for her to not appear before males right after a bath since they believed it would “introduce possible impurities” during her cleanest state, but belittling herself for already adopting some of the palace’s crazed ways of thinking, she yelled out, “coming!” before she quickly dressed in the forest-green kimono and yellow obi.

Sliding the door open, she wasn’t expecting to see Cloud right outside as he waited for her, arms crossed. Steam billowed out as she breathed in the fresh, cold air that came after every rainfall, and she quickly tucked back some of her wet hair behind her ears as she regarded him.

Cloud blinked at her, a bit taken aback at how different she looked once she was freshened up and cleaned from all the dirt and mud.

She was quite beautiful.

“I got some things to tell you before you meet my comrades,” Cloud said, showing none of his thoughts on his face as Aerith slowly closed the door to the bath behind her. “Because this is quite the commission, Tifa and I cannot handle it alone. We called for three more people, but they do not know what the situation is. It is better to keep it between you, me, and Tifa only.”

“Why is that?”

“I trust them, but it is always better to remain safe. If something were to happen, ignorance may serve them better.”

“…”

“So, they’ll be assisting you under the guise that you are running away from your family because of a forced marriage. Your family has connections to the palace. Payment? A lot of gold. Got it?”

“That sounds simple,” Aerith said uneasily. “Would they believe such a story considering the lengths you are taking to escort me?”

“Money does all the talking—it is unnecessary to know everything about our client,” Cloud explained. It was clear to him that she did not know the dark side of this business. “They will not question, and you have the right to remain silent if they do ever ask you something you do not want to give an answer to.”

Aerith let his words sink in before she nodded slowly. It was more comfortable this way for her too; she did not want to spread news about her being the Holy Being.

She was greeted to the sight of three unfamiliar faces next to Tifa’s when they returned to the room.

“This is Biggs, Barret, and Jessie,” Cloud quickly introduced them to her as he pointed a finger to each before sitting down himself. “They will accompany us on our journey.”

“My, what a pretty lady,” Biggs chuckled as he smoked his pipe. The stench bothered Aerith, but she didn’t say anything about it as the young man studied her face. “Understandable that you might be running away from marriage. So, how unsightly is he?”

“Biggs,” interjected Cloud warningly. “I told you that we do not have much time on our hands.”

“This is a very last-minute commission,” Barret noted as he spent a few seconds to study Aerith’s physique before returning his gaze over to Cloud. His appearance was the most intimidating to Aerith with his foreign dark skin and large build. “Are we in danger?”

“Unless you want Shinra soldiers knocking down our doors, then I suppose you can say that.”

“Unlike you, Cloud, to take a job as high-risk as this,” Jessie laughed. Her hair, which was longer than Aerith’s now-shorter hair, was unusual in that it wasn’t tied up. It was rare to see women with their hair completely down with no ornaments. “I thought it was the rule—that we don’t take jobs related to the palace. You must have a lot of money, young miss.”

“Are you picky with the type of jobs you take?” Aerith asked, confused. With the way they were speaking, they didn’t seem to do just anything for money. “I heard you people take on a wide range of jobs: thievery and slaughter are just two of the many.”

At this, everyone laughed, minus Cloud, which made Aerith even more puzzled.

“I see that we have garnered quite the reputation,” Tifa chuckled. With her healthy, glowing skin and hair as dark as midnight, her beauty was one that was rare to encounter across these lands. “I suppose you can say we are greatly influenced by the amount of money we are offered, but under no circumstances do we do anything that involves directed killing. Minor thievery is okay, as long as it’s not something suicidal, like raiding the palace.”

“I see…” The group appeared less dangerous than Aerith initially thought they would be.

“For this task, we will be traveling in three groups,” Cloud began to explain the plan once everyone finished their introductions. “It is dangerous to travel together, and even more dangerous to be small in number. Barret and Tifa will scout the front, and following behind at a distance will be me and our client. Jessie and Biggs will follow at the very end. That way, both our front and back will be guarded.”

“And the signal if anything goes wrong?” Tifa asked.

“Sound bombs,” Cloud answered. “Which can be heard from a three-mile radius, which should be in range in the groups we are traveling in. If something happens to the front, they will blast one to signal that the area is no good. The middle will relay the message to the back by sounding one too, and vice versa if something happens to the back. If something happens when I’m traveling with the client, I’ll sound one and both the front and back will be able to hear. If you hear us sound a second one, that will signal for you to come towards us. Keep in mind that sounding a bomb should only happen if it’s a dire situation; we do not want to draw unnecessary suspicion.”

“This is the most elaborate plan we’ve ever had so far,” Biggs whistled, and he directed another look towards Aerith. However, it wasn’t to admire her appearance—it was to cast suspicion. However, just as Cloud had mentioned before, he didn’t ask any questions as he kept them to himself. “It sounds good, but how much are we traveling here? What is the destination?”

At this, Cloud glanced over to Aerith, who returned his look with one of expectation. Then, he turned back to look at his comrades.

“Far,” he stated. “Towards the Forgotten City.”

At the mention of the Forgotten City, Aerith became stiff. The Forgotten City: the last place where her ancestors had lived before they disappeared. Her mother once took her there to show her where their ancestors had used to live and to learn about her race more, but now, it only existed as a place of despair with the way the houses were broken down, the way the once lively shops bared no more customers, and the way mako circulated the grounds of the abandoned city, as if searching for its forgotten wielders.

It was lonely—lonely to be the last Cetra on the Planet.

“There is a village on the outskirts bordering the Forgotten City,” Cloud explained as he went into more detail about their location. “Not many people live there anymore because of superstition that the Forgotten City is cursed, but there is still civilization near there. And I believe it is far from Shinra’s influence, if I’m correct,” He then looked over to Aerith. “Is this location okay for you?”

“Yes,” answered Aerith shakily. “As long as it is far.”

“It’s far.”

“Then it is good.”

“When do we leave?” Barret asked. Everyone seemed to have already came prepared with their travel bags.

“Right now,” Cloud announced. “Before travel is slowed when the soldiers get involved.”

“Got it.”

Everything happened too fast for Aerith as everyone stood up and began to get ready for action. Tifa began to distribute the sound bombs that were tucked away in one of the wooden crates at the corner while Biggs, Barret, and Jessie shouldered their light bags. It would be too suspicious if they packed too much. When everyone started to leave, Aerith was quick to get back onto her feet and follow suit, but Cloud had stepped to the side and blocked her path. She gave him a curious look, watching as he took out the White Materia.

“You can have it back,” Cloud sighed as he plopped it back into her hands. “Holding it within my possessions will hinder my movements, and I think you’ve proved yourself desperate enough to pay me once I finish the job.”

“Oh,” Aerith blurted out dumbly as she blinked at the White Materia. She didn’t expect him to do that at all, but she was extremely thankful that he did. With basically nothing in her possessions, having it back in her hands gave her comfort.

“I hope you’re ready for a rough journey, Holy Being,” he said, and before Aerith could tell him not to call her that, he left.


	4. sweet yam

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It's Friday, and Christmas! Happy holidays to everyone, hope everyone's having a swell time. Here's ch4 after a long week, so please enjoy! As always, thank you for every single amount of support I get, it gets me to continue writing c:

It was two hours before sunrise when Cloud and Aerith finally departed together. Tifa and Barret had left already, and Jessie and Biggs were waiting for their turn as Cloud and Aerith began their journey towards the Forgotten City. Since they were exiting straight from the red-light district, they had to travel by foot first before they could begin their journey on carriage.

When Aerith was finally alone with him, the air became uneasy. She was more comfortable in the presence of Tifa and Jessie since they seemed a lot more approachable than the blond—and were female. After his gimmick with the military police right behind the door, she didn’t trust him completely.

“It’d be better if you didn’t look as if you were taken by force by me,” Cloud interrupted her train of thought as they went through the woods. Instead of traveling the roads, they decided to go through more obscure paths until they were a good distance away from the red-light district. “It doesn’t look good when we’re traveling together.”

“Is there something on my face?” she questioned, not knowing what he was talking about. He didn’t give her an answer and simply left it at that as he cleared away some fallen branches with his feet.

“I’ve already accepted the job,” he said instead, switching the subject. “So, I hope answering my question won’t be as difficult as before.”

Aerith hopped over a tree root as she struggled to catch up with Cloud. “And what is your question?”

“My eyes—how were you able to see their color?”

Confused yet again with this question that seemed to have an obvious answer, Aerith carefully thought out her words, just in case he decided to get angry again and push her against the tree this time.

“I apologize—I do not seem to understand fully your question,” Aerith answered. “I see what I see—there is mako within you, and it shows in your eyes. But it is not just me. Anyone can see them since your essence is soaked with it.”

“… How do you know that?” 

Feeling a lot more at ease now that his voice was a lot calmer about the topic, Aerith relaxed as she focused more on trying not to trip. “It should not be a surprise. I am an Ancient—of course, I am able to see mako energy. And a normal human can see it too in a person when the exposure is high.”

“Ah, so it’s your Ancient blood,” he muttered as he finally got a clearer answer. “I did not think the Ancients could harness that kind of power.”

“You do not seem knowledgeable about my race,” Aerith stated. While she sounded guarded on the outside, on the inside, she felt a little bit of joy. It had been a long, long time since she was able to hold a normal conversation without any Jenova-crazed fear, so she didn’t watch herself as she spoke with the complete stranger. “Are you not a follower of Shinra?”

“… I follow no religion,” he said. Judging from the tone of his voice, there was more to it than just that, but Aerith didn’t dig further. However, she wished she had asked a question—any question—before he decided to ask another of his own. “Are _you_ not a follower of Shinra?”

“Why would you ask such a question?” Aerith said sharply. It offended her to think that anyone would believe her to be on Shinra’s side. “Does it appear that I am?”

“Which is why I am confused. Answer what you want since you have the right not to respond to my questions, but I had assumed that the supposed Holy Being of this nation was worshipped like a goddess. I can’t imagine why you would run away as if you were escaping from hell itself.”

Aerith should’ve kept her composure and logically reached the conclusion that those outside the palace did not know the true horrors of the inside and instead only believed in the lies of the palace, but his words offended her, so she couldn’t help but get upset. Refusing to talk to the man any longer, she continued to focus on her feet and make sure not to humiliate herself any further by tripping.

Cloud did not say anything either as he accepted her silence. Together, they walked, with the chirps of the early birds and the rustling of the leaves surrounding their ears. 

Aerith did not keep track of how long they had walked—she had a talent of numbing herself from feeling time whenever she went through the palace’s cursed rituals—so when they entered one of the main roads towards a small village up ahead, she was shocked to see the sun up and bright in the sky already. 

“It has been a few hours since we departed from the red-light district,” informed Cloud. They were his first words to her since their sour conversation. “We can rest if you feel the need to.”

“We can keep going,” Aerith said a bit breathlessly. She didn’t realize how tired her body actually was until they stopped moving. “I do not want to waste any time.”

“We are not wasting any time,” he responded irritably. To prove his point, all he did was give Aerith a light shove on the shoulder, and she nearly buckled over as she wobbled to regain her balance. “We will waste more time though if we continue like this—you’ll slow us down.”

“You are not gentle,” Aerith frowned. Never did she ever interact with such a brute man like him, but it wasn’t like she dealt with men in general. “If you were worried about my wellbeing, you could have simply told me nicely.”

“I was not—never mind,” he sighed. “When was the last time you ate? Energy pills and potions do not replace real food.”

The large crease on his forehead was evident as he watched Aerith take some time to think about when she had last eaten.

“Almost two days ago,” she said softly.

“…” Wordlessly, Cloud led the way towards the village. He didn’t need to explain to her about his decision to stop for a rest.

When they were about to step foot into the village, Cloud instructed her to hook her arm around his. While she was reluctant to, she already knew what kind of disguise they were going for, so she didn’t say anything to the fake display of intimacy as she slowly slipped her arm around his.

Her discomfort, however, was instantly erased as she entered the village. The scent of breakfast getting cooked by homes and restaurants wafted deliciously underneath her nose, and the laughter of children rang like music in the ears of the villagers as they played with the sticks and dirt. Everything appeared so different compared to the palace; it was as if Shinra’s influence didn’t reach this place at all.

“Do not be fooled,” Cloud murmured next to her as they walked down the middle of the path. “There are followers of Shinra everywhere; we are not close to being outside their boundaries just yet.”

“Everyone appears so normal though,” she said sadly. Normal people, normal lives—wasn’t this how it was supposed to be?

“They are not extreme radicals,” explained Cloud. “They are indeed normal, but I can bet my life that they’ll turn you in once they know your identity before you could even say ‘please.’”

Trusting Cloud to know more about the current world than she did, she didn’t try to argue otherwise as they found a small restaurant to settle and have breakfast in.

“Welcome!” the grandmother who ran the store greeted happily. Cloud and Aerith gave a small nod to the welcome before they seated themselves at a table for two. When Cloud settled his sword against the side, Aerith wondered if he ever garnered any attention for it. It was a large sword, and she couldn’t imagine any normal soldier being able to hold it.

“The army has been experimenting with many types of weapons,” Cloud spoke, noticing the way her gaze was locked onto his blade. “It is not uncommon to see weapons out of the ordinary.”

“I see.”

“…What do you want?”

“I have no money.”

Cloud sighed before saying, “I already know that. What do you want?”

Even she had a conscience, even with a stranger, so she chose the simplest item that was both inexpensive and energy-filling. “Sweet yam would be good.”

Cloud didn’t question her meager choice as he ordered some rice and soup for himself. 

As they ate, Aerith took this time to study her escort. After all the chaos from last night, she never had the chance to observe him and possibly read into what kind of person he could be. With messy blond hair, he already stood out from regular civilians around here, who always kept their hair nice and tidy for the day. His eyes were as brilliant as when she first saw them, shiny and luminant, and after piecing together his odd questions along with his sudden lash out about his eyes, she was able to figure out that he apparently ingested color-changing potion for them. Of course, being a Cetra, she was able to see through that disguise since nothing could disguise mako, but it made her curious why he was sensitive about them.

But she didn’t question.

“What is it now?” Cloud caught her staring as he mixed his rice with his soup with the wooden spoon. “Spit it out if you have something to say.”

“I have nothing to say,” Aerith replied plainly. She didn’t stop her staring though as she slowly peeled the skin of her sweet yam, and she knew it unnerved him as he decided to ignore it. “You just seem different from what they say about you.”

“And who’s they?”

“… Gossip from the palace.”

She had expected the man who seemed to do anything for money as dangerous, cunning, and murderous. However, the only thing she saw in front of her was a young, handsome man who seemed more likely to run a family business than handle underground deals. The sword was the only thing that could’ve said otherwise.

“I am surprised that kind of gossip was able to reach the palace. I am not sure if I should be honored,” scoffed Cloud. “I’m more normal than you thought, is what you’re saying.”

“Correct.”

“… And you have no questions?”

Tilting her head innocently, she looked at him, wondering what he was trying to get out of her.

“Should I have any?”

Aerith watched as he chewed his food more slowly for a couple of seconds, a bit lost in his own train of thought before he shook his head lightly and focused back on eating, paying her no more attention. Aerith did the same as she took her first bite into her sweet yam, eyes now trained on the outside now.

The outside. Things already seemed too different the last time she was outside four years ago.

When they finished eating, Cloud left the money on the table before he stood up. Aerith did the same as she followed him out the door. Reaching out to hook her arm on his elbow, she wasn’t expecting him to suddenly get tense and surprised from her touch. However, he relaxed when he remembered their disguise.

“Sorry,” he muttered. 

A bit irked to hear him apologize about something so small, she was about to say it wasn’t a problem before he said, “About earlier and Shinra.”

“Oh,” she frowned. Just remembering the conversation made her mood sour since she had already forgotten about it. Entering the village and just sitting down to eat breakfast like a normal person was enough to make her forget. However, now that she was a lot more calm-headed and reasonable, she sighed before saying, “It doesn’t matter. It seems that people outside the palace are not aware of what goes on in the inside.”

“Still. It was a dumb question,” he said as he led them towards a carriage. It was about time to get off from traveling by foot. “I already should’ve known the answer when I saw how desperate you were in escaping. I apologize.”

It was something about the way he delivered himself that made Aerith laugh for the first time in four years. It wasn’t a laugh at her pathetic self, nor was it a bitter laugh that cursed the people who ran the palace. No, it came from the bottom of her heart, and it made her feel… feelings.

A man who she thought was dangerous seemed nothing more than an awkward boy who was not well equipped with the right tools to socialize. From his cold front to his tough demeanor, Cloud was not what he seemed to be, and it made her laugh.

Cloud could feel something stir in the wind as her sweet voice rang in his ears. He might’ve gone crazy, but the grass on the side of the path seemed to stand straighter, the sky seemed just a bit clearer, and even the air around them seemed less heavy. 

“… Are you okay?” he decided to ask, once more taken aback. First, she was staring at him with no shame, and now she was laughing at him. Based on his first impression of her, he didn’t take her as one to laugh—not with those empty eyes he saw last night.

“I apologize,” Aerith finally said as her laughter died down. “You are quite an interesting character. I did not expect that from someone like you.”

“Holy Being, I wasn’t aware that you were capable of laughter,” he snorted back, not amused at her comment. He didn’t know whether it was an insult or compliment.

“Ah…” Aerith pursed her lips as her uplifted mood swiftly came back down at his response. It was as if reality slapped her across the face for a second, scolding as she remembered where she was, who she was running away from, and how she shouldn’t be like this after everything she had been through. It was as if something inside her was telling her that she didn’t deserve to feel any joy, to feel any happiness, to feel _anything._

Just hollowness. 

Before she could hear Cloud’s reaction, he suddenly began to walk faster, tugging her along as they walked through the busy market area.

“What is going on?” she huffed as she struggled to keep up with him.

“I can hear them. They’re coming,” he informed her as he helped her weave her way past the sea of bodies. 

Aerith gulped. “Hear what?”

“The sound of horse hooves.”

Confused, Aerith had no other choice but to believe him. All she heard were the noises of the villagers, of the stores, of the bargaining—horses were nowhere near, so how could he hear anything like that?

“How far away are they?”

“Far enough for us to catch a carriage without raising any suspicion.”

Knowing how things worked around here better than Aerith, he pulled her along as he searched for an available carriage. When he saw an empty one, he approached the coachman, exchanged a few words about their destination, and handed him some coins before he helped heave Aerith up onto the carriage before following himself. 

Finding some air again, Aerith took a moment to catch her breath. They didn’t even run, but walking that fast was already enough to make her feel fatigued. It made her worry about how long her stamina would last for the rest of their journey.

“Sorry,” Cloud muttered as he closed the curtains by the side before sitting on the hard-padded seats. Settling his sword against the corner, he slunk back against his seat as he crossed his arms. Seeing the look in his eyes, Aerith could tell that he was thinking deeply as a slight frown creased his forehead.

“It’s fine. Rather, how were you able to hear horse hooves from so far away?” she asked.

“… I thought you already knew,” he replied. “Since you knew I had mako in me and didn’t question it.”

“Ah… I guess for humans, mako gives you enhanced senses?” Aerith lurched forward a bit when the carriage suddenly took off. Since the interior was cramped, she nearly headbutted him if not for his quick hands that steadied her by the shoulders. 

“We’re going to be like this for a while. I hope you’ll be able to tolerate it this for a couple of hours,” Cloud advised as he scooted to the side so that there could be room for both of their knees. “And yes, the mako enhances my senses, to answer your question.”

“Hm, I didn’t know that,” was all she said as she brought her eyes over to the small slit in the curtains to view the passing landscape.

Aerith wasn’t able to learn much from her mother about the energy of the Planet before she left. All she knew was that the Cetras were able to harness it as a power, to manipulate the energy source and give it a physical entity in this world so that it could bring new life and foster it. She didn’t know that humans could be in contact with it too, but she did know one thing.

Humans weren’t supposed to ever be in contact with mako in the first place. 

“You’re not going to ask?”

“Hm?” Aerith returned her gaze back to Cloud, who surprisingly stared right back at her with those sharp eyes of his. However, her own didn’t waver as she tilted her head slightly in question. “Ask about what?”

“You seemed curious,” he continued to speak vaguely. “But you never asked. Before in the woods, at the restaurant, and now.”

“How your being is infused with mako when it is not supposed to?” she spelled it out for him. His gaze seemed to falter as she hit the jackpot. If she squinted, she could’ve seen the way he felt slightly troubled. However, she had no plans to poke at him as she simply shrugged and said, “I just did not want to touch upon a sensitive area for you.”

“…”

“Seeing how you are desperate enough to hide it with eye color-changing potion, I think it would be polite of me not to ask,” she explained. Then, she gave him a ghost of a smile. “We both have our secrets we’d like to keep to ourselves, don’t we?”

“You’d work well in business,” scoffed Cloud. “You have that suave way of speaking—perfect for landing agreements. But like I said before, can you speak less formally, or will it kill you if you do?”

“… I could say something similar to you.”

“What is it?”

“Stop calling me the Holy Being,” requested Aerith curtly. “I wasn’t able to make a point about it earlier, but now that we are here, I can make it clear—do not call me that.”

“Then what should I call you?” he asked, already catching the hint as to why she was irritated. 

“Aerith is just fine. And you?”

“Cloud’s fine too.”

Aerith gave him a small smile, satisfied with their small deal before she returned her attention to the outside. It was still fascinating to her to finally be out the palace, and Cloud let her do as she pleased as he closed his eyes and rested his mind.

As a peaceful silence filled the air inside the carriage with only the sounds of the horses treading across the dirt roads and the quiet howls of the wind outside, Aerith began to think about what she would do once this journey was over. Would she live where Cloud and his group will drop her off? And would she be able to fit in with the society there, make a living, and perhaps even start a family? There were many things that just a few days ago seemed absolutely impossible. They had been fruitless dreams to have, but now that she was hours away from the palace, they started to sprout in her mind once more, like blooming flowers that managed to survive the winter and greet the spring air. 

Would a normal life really be possible for her? She would have to live as a human for the rest of her life and keep her identity as a Cetra a secret. It pained her as the last of her kind to even think about burying her culture, but she hoped that those in the Promised Land would understand—that her mother would understand.

Closing her eyes, Aerith sunk into slumber, her tiredness finally taking over her body. It was the first time in four years that she was able to sleep without any trouble. A small part of her still remained anxious because of the big journey ahead of them, but just the fact that she was not inside that cramped room they called the Holy Being’s chamber—the freedom was enough to dispel any restlessness in her heart.

Because of how smooth she slept, Aerith didn’t expect to see darkness already when she opened her eyes; Cloud had woken her up.

“Hey,” Cloud urged, tapping her leg with the side of his foot. 

“Huh?” Groggy, Aerith was slightly annoyed that her peaceful sleep was interrupted. However, when she saw the whole carriage lit in a mysterious green hue, her eyes immediately flew open.

“What the—”

“I think you should turn that off before anyone sees,” Cloud sighed.

For some odd reason, the White Materia was glowing green underneath her kimono like it usually did whenever Aerith stirred the mako within it with her Cetra abilities as a spectacle for the palace. However, she had been asleep—how was it suddenly active?

Quickly taking out the White Materia, she willed it to calm down, and just like a burnt torch, its light dissipated under her command. Only a faint glow was left, swirling as the mako within calmed and slithered back into the depths of the orb. 

“If we’re going to travel, that thing can’t just start glowing out of nowhere,” advised Cloud, eyeing the orb dubiously. It was as if the object was a burden to him, even if it was his payment for this entire trip. “Because gossip is possibly our biggest enemy right now.”

“I am sorry,” Aerith murmured. The shock did not wear off yet as her brows knitted in confusion. Were her powers getting unstable to the point where it could escape during slumber? There was no other explanation, and it made sense too. The only reason why she was able to make it past the fence and enter the red-light district in the first place was due to the sudden surge of energy she felt when getting the palace guards off her tail. Never in the past was she able to use her Cetra abilities for anything other than to interact with the mako inside the White Materia and communicate with life on the Planet. 

Was something inside her awakening? Without the guidance of her mother and her people, it made her scared.

“I have a question,” Cloud spoke slowly. Even in the dark, he could see the frown that graced her features as she stared at the White Materia in her hands.

“What is it?” Aerith responded as she soothingly patted the orb whose very existence probably made hers a living nightmare. “Is it something I have to answer?”

“Not necessarily. Is mako inside that thing?” 

“Oh, I thought you were going to ask a harder question,” Aerith giggled, and it surprised her to hear such a sound come out of her mouth. Catching herself, she cleared her throat before she answered, “Yes. I suppose you recognize it.”

“Yeah. I am… surprised to see it like that. Can you control mako?” he shot his second question. 

Since his questions were not at all difficult, Aerith relaxed. She wasn’t sure if Cloud was just asking her questions to get her mind off of things or if he truly wanted answers, but deciding upon the latter since he didn’t seem to be emotionally attentive, she was still happy to have a conversation. “I cannot control the free-flowing mako that runs through the Planet like my ancestors, but I can manipulate it in this orb since it’s contained.”

“What kind of things can you do with that?” 

“I can make it glow.”

“… That’s it?”

The disappointment in Cloud’s voice was oddly amusing, so Aerith had to cover a hand over her mouth to stifle her laughter. “Yes, that is it. It is a mere jewel created by my people as decoration, for lack of a better word. Were you expecting something grand?”

“Well, of course, since this is an item of worship in the palace, is it not?” Cloud snorted. “And probably Shinra’s last legs since they were on the verge of just collapsing without it.”

“And I stole it,” Aerith said almost gleefully. Once more, the urge to just laugh maniacally at the thought of putting the palace in such a difficult position made her swell in pure, deranged happiness. Fumbling, searching, _scrambling_ just to find her. If only she could see the red, angry face of Don Corneo—she could leave the Planet happy and have all sorts of tales to tell to her people in the Promised Land.

“I think a smile and a laugh fits you better.”

Surprised, Aerith blinked a few times at the White Materia before she slowly looked up at Cloud, who had his elbow against the window of the carriage as he laid his head on his fist. He was no longer looking at her, and it almost made her believe that she was just hearing things before he continued speaking. “Such a wicked look thinking about your captors doesn’t suit you.”

“… Wicked look?”

“Should I have phrased it nicer?” he asked as he turned slightly towards her to make some eye contact. It made her realize that what he said wasn’t a compliment—it was advice. “Revenge is nice, but it’s best not to get so immersed with it for too long, or else you’ll find yourself lost.”

“I think that after everything I have been through, I deserve the chance to relish in such moments, shouldn’t I?” Aerith stated blankly. “Are these your own words of wisdom, or are you trying to teach me a lesson?”

“Both, I guess. But you can take my words with a grain of salt since it’s none of my business,” Cloud sighed. Aerith noted that he sighed quite often, enforcing his image as a listless person instead of a dangerous one. “I just spoke my mind. Feel free to silence me if you feel uncomfortable, dear client.”

It was clear how he was drawing the line between them. Right before any of them sank any deeper in each other’s personal lives, Cloud knew when to cut it clean and keep it all business, and because of that, Aerith found herself slinking back into silence as she clasped the White Materia in her hands before putting it back inside her kimono.

“The coachman will probably stop soon to rest for the night,” Cloud informed her as he suppressed a yawn. As if on cue, Aerith began to see a village approach their view through the window. “We’ll have to stop at an inn.”

“Can we not continue?” Aerith insisted. Her nerves got the best of her at the thought of just staying still and stationary knowing that Shinra was on the move. “I still have energy left, and I won’t be a burden.”

“You won’t be the burden— _I_ will,” and Cloud finally let out the yawn that he had stifled as some tears of weariness stung his eyes. “Holy Bei—Client, you might not seem tired, but I am. So, make sure you get some sleep while you can.”

Unable to say anything back as a counter, Aerith simply kept quiet as she followed his directions. Once the carriage stopped, Cloud thanked the coachman before he helped Aerith off and led the way in search of their place of sleep for the night. Stopping by an inn that had a relatively good number of people, Cloud pushed past the curtain that decorated the door and entered.

“Welcome, valued customer!” greeted some of the workers by the front counter.

“Room for two, please,” Cloud said as he fished out some coins. Before Aerith could say anything about the single room, Cloud had already received the room key and was already up the stairs towards the third floor. Climbing clumsily up the creaky, wooden steps, Aerith tried not to trip on her own kimono as she followed his footsteps. 

“Will we be okay?” Aerith asked once the room to the door was shut behind them. “Are we… safe?”

“We should be fine,” answered Cloud as he lit a few candles to brighten up the room. He scanned it within a second before he settled in the corner next to the window. He leaned his sword against the wall before he sat down, back against it as he stretched his legs after the cramped carriage ride. “Even though they’re desperate to get you, they’re not desperate enough to stir confusion and chaos among their followers. What do you think would happen if the public heard news about the Holy Being’s escape?”

“I thought that was already happening,” Aerith mumbled as she awkwardly stayed standing by the door. She wasn’t sure where she could sit or lay down. “When the military police were looking for me last night.”

“The most the military police can do is stir trouble; their reputation is not the greatest in terms of competency. Shinra soldiers will probably search for you in a more discreet and quiet way.”

“But—”

“That’s how things work around here,” Cloud interjected, tired of her questions. “They are no god—if they knew where you are right now, they would’ve swept you away already, so shut up and just rest for tomorrow.”

Aerith gulped as Cloud’s agitation became clear as day. A part of her questioned why she was getting so antsy in the first place as she hesitantly pulled out a futon from the side and spread it across the floor. Maybe it was just the unfamiliar feeling of being outside for the first time like this in four years, or maybe it was that fear that haunted her day and night, that no matter what she did, they would always get her because they were _that_ powerful.

However, deciding to put trust in Cloud’s words this time, Aerith squashed her fears for tonight; rest was important.

It wasn’t hard to have her thoughts go towards something else. When she began rolling out the second futon, Aerith began to get super conscious as she realized how they hadn’t said anything about their sleeping arrangement. She had already come to terms earlier about the single room since she knew it was necessary to keep up their disguise, but now that they were in the small room together with the night dawning upon them, her mind began to stream through very exaggerated thoughts as she felt her hands fumble more and more with the blankets. She didn’t really mind if he slept next to her, but for her comfort, she rather—

“Relax,” Cloud said dryly, breaking her spiral of thoughts. “I’ll be staying here, so at ease.”

“You won’t sleep?”

Cloud shifted in his position in the corner as he brushed some of his front hair off to the side. “I don’t really sleep. It’s best for me to keep a lookout too just in case,” and he tapped the back of his finger against the window pane. “Since you’re so scared too.”

“I would like it if you rest though,” Aerith said hesitantly. It slowly dawned on her that he probably made this stop not only for the coachman, but for her too. She didn’t know it was possible, but sitting inside the cramped carriage for hours made her tired, and she only realized that once her hands and knees sank in the soft blankets. 

“I rest fine just like this,” and Cloud ended the conversation by closing his eyes.

Feeling a bit guilty even though she wasn’t really at fault for anything, Aerith clutched at the sheets for a bit before she crawled over to blow some of the candles off. Slinking into the warmth and softness of the futon, Aerith made sure she faced the other side away from his direction so that she would feel less conscious. 

Snuggling into the sheets, she wondered if she should start a conversation with him—one that would ease her into sleep since everything was a bit too sudden. However, the thought was fleeting, and when she closed her eyes, she instantly began to feel the sleep heavy against her chest and against her eyes, and before she knew it, she was already in her dreams.

However, before she fully entered the realm of slumber, Cloud’s earlier words echoed in her mind like a soft, gentle lullaby. 

_ Such a wicked look thinking about your captors doesn’t suit you. _

_ I think a smile and a laugh fits you better. _


	5. an unknown green

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yaaaay chapter 5 on new years. Happy new years, everybody! Here's a chapter that's longer than usual, so please enjoy. Hopefully 2021 will treat all of you guys and the entire world better. Stay safe, and let's look forward towards a better year together.

A chair was thrown across the room before smashing into parts against the wall. The guard tried his best to remain standing as his arms stuck close to his sides, unwavering as objects continued to get hurled at him.

“Tell me why it is so difficult to track one measly twenty-year-old girl!” Corneo roared as he paced back and forth inside his personal chambers. “Do you take me for a fool? Do you really expect me to believe that a weak and skinny girl like her could fight off _three_ guards who basically had her cornered at the fence?”

“No, sir,” the guard said through clenched teeth. 

“Can you believe it? We had to dispatch soldiers to search for her, _soldiers!_ ” Corneo couldn’t get any redder as his vein bulged uncomfortably against his thick neck. “It won’t be long until this whole entire palace crumbles down once word gets out that the Holy Being is missing, and trust me,” the angry man grabbed onto the guard’s collar menacingly, “you and your troops will be the first to get crushed under this very ceiling for letting her go missing in the first place!”

“I deeply apologize, my lord.”

“Oh, I am this close to slitting your neck and—”

_ Knock, knock! _

At the sound of company, Corneo let the guard go before he huffed, “Come in!”

The door opened, and in came two soldiers. Excused, the guard hurriedly left Corneo’s chambers and shut the door behind him for their privacy.

“What is it? Have your troops come empty handed again?” Corneo spoke, voice back down to normal room level with the soldiers. The guards were one thing, but soldiers were another. 

“We did a secret inspection of the red-light district after the military police’s search. And we found this.”

From the folds of their armor, one soldier took out a long bundle of hair while the other took out a soiled white kimono. Immediately, Corneo recognized the owner of the items.

“We found the white kimono and hair buried in the dirt somewhere in the woods. It appears as though she left in the hurry since we were able to discover these items so easily. They possibly weren’t burned for fear of attracting attention. We have reached the conclusion that the Holy Being is not traveling alone, or else it would not be possible for her to go this far from our reach by herself.”

Corneo let their newfound information sink in as he stepped up to the soldiers and held out a hand, requesting for the items. Without another word, the soldiers forfeited their findings before being dismissed.

“My little kitten, how far will you run away?” Corneo sighed as he clasped the bundle of silky brown hair in his hands. He held it up to his nose and sniffed it, inhaling the remnants of her scent which was now mixed with the scent of the earth. “I will continue to play your game, but be warned that I am not patient.”

No one questioned as they heard Corneo’s throaty laugh echo from his chambers and down throughout the hallways of the palace as they wished for the safe return of his bride.

“Run while you can—I’ll humor you! There isn’t any place Shinra can’t reach! Come out, come out, wherever you are, my kitten!”

~.~.~

Tifa and Barret threw in sticks to keep their fire alive as they settled in the woods for the night. Unlike Cloud and Aerith, they had no reason to keep a low profile, so they were more at ease when moving around. However, it would’ve been nice if they had been able to stop by an inn for shelter, but nature was no stranger to them either.

“I can keep guard for the first three hours. You can go to sleep first,” Barret said as he poked at the campfire with a stick. “I’ll wake you up when it’s your turn.”

“You always say that, yet you never wake me up,” Tifa rolled her eyes playfully as she laid a covering on the ground. “But I shall humor you anyway.”

Putting her hands closer to the campfire, she sighed as she looked up at the night sky. “You’re good at calculating things, Barret. How long do you think this journey will last?”

“Well, if Cloud is telling the truth that we are simply escorting a girl running away from marriage, then it’ll be quick,” Barret replied knowingly. Tifa smiled nervously at the fire, already knowing too well Barret’s intuition. “But if he is not telling the truth, then I would not be surprised if we get into a heap of trouble later.”

“Yet you agreed to go with him.”

“I owe him a debt,” the dark man sighed as he threw another stick into the flames. “And I suppose this is the time I finally pay it back. How? I don’t know—we’ll see.”

“Good to know that I’m not the only one who doesn’t know,” Tifa muttered as she pulled her sheet close enough to be warmed by the fire when sleeping. “I don’t know what Cloud’s thinking. He would never accept such a dangerous request like this.” Was it really all for that white orb?

“Do I sense some jealousy?” chuckled Barret, very aware of the hidden affections that the raven-haired had for the swordsman. In response to his bluntness, Tifa’s jaw hung open before she rolled her eyes and tucked herself in.

“Cloud is not one to be swayed during a mission,” Tifa said matter-of-factly. “I doubt he would have those sorts of thoughts on the job.”

“She was quite beautiful, though. Ethereal beauty—not like a human’s.”

“This is Cloud we’re talking about.”

“Doesn’t change the fact that he’s still a man.”

Tifa found herself getting more and more embarrassed the longer this conversation stretched. Not needing the fire anymore to keep herself warm, she gave Barret a playful glare before she turned on her side and faced away from the campfire. They had a long way ahead of them—there was no time to dilly-dally with such unnecessary thoughts.

However, her thoughts still lingered as she imagined the dynamics between Cloud and Aerith during their journey. Would they actually get along? Or would they fight? The latter seemed to be the most probable since Cloud had quite the reputation of being disagreeable. He even shoved the poor girl into the dirt upon their negotiation—no one would earn a good impression of him from that.

But deep down, as the sleep began to take over her, Tifa wanted him to have at least with someone on this planet. Someone he could open up to—someone who would let him see the world in a wider, much more optimistic view.

She had tried, and she failed. It was time for another person to somehow attempt to unlock his doors.

_ Probably not that girl though _ , Tifa thought as she let out one last sigh. _They’re too similar to each other—they would only hurt each other._

Then, she fell asleep.

~.~.~

_ Aerith could feel herself out of breath as she ran. She ran as quick as she could, with bones weak and frail and hair heavy on her head as she ran. Her eyes didn’t look, and her mind didn’t think. All she knew was that she needed to run. They were going to catch her again. They were going to bring her back, and they were going to purify her for being bad. For being impure. She would hear prayers against Jenova again, and her naked body would once more be sprawled against the ground, cold and shivering as the taiko drums and torches beat and burned.  _

_ Then, she felt her long, flowing hair get grabbed. She was pulled, and down her legs went—down once more in defeat. She could feel the meaty hands in her scalp, tight and secure so that she couldn’t run away again. Turning her head around, she saw the large build of Don Corneo, whose wicked, carnal smile made time stop for her as her stomach dropped. _

_ “We had a schedule the other night,” he laughed heartily. Then, he pulled her hair up so that her eyes could meet face-to-face with his. “And I believe we should continue it, darling.” _

_ “No!” she screamed as she thrashed and clawed at him. “Unhand me, you foul being, unhand me!” _

**_ Aerith. _ **

_ “I have raised you for the past four years for this beautiful moment!” _

_ “No, please, let me go! Please, I beg of you, I—” _

**_ Aerith! _ ** ****

“Let me go, let me go! Please!” Aerith wailed as hot tears began to flood her cheeks. “Kill me, I’d rather you kill me!”

Cloud struggled to keep her arms from hitting him as he held onto her wrists, corner abandoned as he attempted to calm her down from her nightmare. It had begun with only twists and turns in her futon before it became full-on screaming, which Cloud could no longer ignore as the volume became loud enough to be concerning to people in the rooms next door. 

Pulling her up, he tried to get her to sit and gain some awareness, but she was deep in her fright as she continued to fight against him.

“Aerith,” he grunted when she hit her arm against his face. “Get it together, it’s just a nightmare.”

“Please let me go, please let me go! I want to die, I want to die—I want to see my mother again! Kill me, kill me!” she bawled as she gasped for breath. “At least let me die pure and unspoiled by your disgusting hands!”

Having no other choice, Cloud slapped her across the face to wake her up. It was the last thing he wanted to resort to, but it was better than stirring trouble within the inn and going through unnecessary questioning. 

“Aerith, wake up,” he urged as he shook her shoulders lightly; he had a tiny hint about what kind of nightmare was plaguing her. “Open your eyes, you’re not in the palace. You’re at an inn. You’re safe.”

Opening her eyes, Aerith breathed in heavily as her flailing stopped, only to remain deathly still as her eyes adjusted to the darkness. All the candles were out now, so the only thing that gave her vision was the tiny amount of moonlight that bled from the windows. She could feel hands gripping on her shoulders, and she nearly tried to run away again because of it, but when she recognized Cloud’s mako eyes that glowed in the dark, the relief that coursed through her was nothing she felt before.

Because the emotion was so strong, Aerith threw her arms around him, surprising him as she began to sob both in relief and fear. His presence and this journey were the last bit of hope she was hanging onto, and to have their existence reminded after the terrible nightmare was more than enough to have her cry in reassurance. 

“Thank the heavens,” she whispered as the nightmare slowly began to bleed away. “I’m not in the palace, I’m not in the palace, I’m—”

“You’re not in the palace,” Cloud’s deep, soothing voice resonated in their small room as she felt him adjust beneath her uncomfortably. “We’ve been traveling for the past two days and just arrived here a few hours ago.”

“Shinra doesn’t know I’m here, right?” Aerith muttered, mind having a stream of paranoid questions already prepared to just roll right out of her head. “They don’t know, so they can’t find me. But every time I ran away, they caught me. They always caught me. Then they would purify me thinking Jenova had possessed me, from the outside and even on the inside. They have a huge army, don’t they? They’re going to come and get me. I know it, I know i—”

Cloud shut her up by hesitantly patting her back with one hand while he stretched the other behind his back for stability. Because her face was over his shoulder, she had no idea what kind of thoughts went through his head nor what kind of expression he had on as he comforted her.

“They don’t know you’re here,” he sighed, eyes looking up at the ceiling. “Like I said, they’re not gods; they wouldn’t wait around if they knew your location. You’re fine.”

“… Do you promise?” Aerith could feel her consciousness slipping back into slumber as she reveled in the comfortable rhythm of Cloud’s back pats. “Protect me. You have to promise me.”

“You’re suddenly talking like a normal person,” Cloud noted. She sounded so much like a child, which stood in stark contrast to her usual formal way of speaking. “It’d be better if you talked like this more often.”

“You have… to promise.” 

Her words became slurred before her eyes softly fluttered shut. She wasn’t able to say anymore before she fell back asleep, exhausted from the nightmare that took all her energy away.

Cloud remained perfectly still until he felt Aerith completely relax into him, signaling her slumber. Gently, he pried her off before he settled her back onto the futon, which she naturally snuggled into as her hands blindly grasped for the blankets. Helping her by pulling it over up to her chest, Cloud pursed his lips together as he stared at the now-tranquil expression of his client before he returned to his corner for surveillance. 

Cloud always had a lot in his mind, but now, he had some additional mental baggage to think about as his mind circled around the words Aerith had just uttered. None of the things she said made sense. All of it was out of context, but he could hear the raw fear drenched in her voice as she struggled against a force unknown to him. Curiosity got the best of him, and now, he had many questions that were probably best left unanswered; knowing too much about the client was never a good thing.

He was sure of one thing though amongst his confusion—the palace wasn’t getting her back.

~.~.~

It was early morning when Aerith woke up. Cloud had shaken her awake by the shoulder, and when she opened her eyes, a plate of food steamed deliciously in front of her. Extremely groggy, Aerith let out a small groan as she propped herself up by an elbow while she rubbed the sleep out of her eyes.

“Are we going?” she mumbled, squinting against the bright sunshine that streamed through the window. “What time is it?”

“Time for breakfast,” Cloud answered curtly as he retracted himself and sat in front of her cross-legged. “Then you can wash up before we leave.”

“…” Aerith blinked at the food. Rice, tofu, miso soup, and a glass of water. “Where’d you get all this?”

“I don’t know what you’ve been living off of, but this is a regular type of meal. I got it downstairs since the inn offers food,” Cloud explained, already knowing what kind of thoughts were going through her mind. “So, eat this instead of some flimsy piece of yam.”

Aerith blinked some more as she started to get more awake. Her hair hung over her face as she smelled the food, which successfully made her stomach rumble in complaint. Without another word, she sat up a little bit straighter before picking up her utensil and began spooning some rice. 

It slipped her mind that her appearance was probably unsightly since she just woke up. She could feel strands of her hair just sticking out in every direction, and she was in dire need of a shower after over twenty-four hours of just traveling, but she didn’t care—she wanted food.

However, it was when her spoon was halfway in her mouth when she looked up at Cloud’s face one more time before the events of last night began to flood her memories like a violent tsunami. Dropping her spoon with a clang against the bowl, she surprised him with the suddenness as he gave her a confused frown. 

“Is something the matt—”

He didn’t get to finish before Aerith swooped back down underneath her blanket and began to burn a red that could enflame a whole village. 

The nightmare, the screaming, the _clinging._ Oh, if she could die in shame, then she would’ve died instantly.

_ Protect me. You have to promise. _

Aerith inwardly screamed into her pillow as she began to remember traces of their conversation and the way she clung onto him as if life depended on it. The nightmare was terrible, but it would’ve gone better if she didn’t embarrass herself like this. Having no idea how to face him, she decided to just keep silent, and maybe he would walk out of the room and spare her some of her remaining dignity left.

He didn’t.

“Come on, we don’t have time to waste,” Cloud sighed as he reached over and tried to tug the blanket off. She held onto it like an anchor. “At this rate, Shinra is going to come get you, so let’s go.”

That was enough to snap Aerith out of her silly moment. However, as she sat back up, she became a lot more conscious about his presence as one hand grabbed the spoon again while the other attempted to smooth out her tangled hair. 

Cloud watched as she ate, wondering what was getting her so fussy as she stuffed the food into her mouth at an uncomfortable speed. Right before he could advise her to slow down, she choked and entered a violent coughing fit. 

“Are you okay?” he asked hesitantly as he offered her the glass of water. She immediately took it out of his hands before she downed the whole thing. Wiping her mouth with a napkin, she sighed before she pointed to the door, making sure not to look him in the eye.

“Can you leave, please?” Aerith muttered as she stared at the ground, unable to withstand embarrassing herself any longer. “I’ll be ready by the time I step out, so can you wait outside?”

“… Sure.”

And Cloud left per her request, allowing herself to just drown in utter shame as she rubbed a hand over her forehead, wondering what was going on with her.

“Get it together,” she sighed to herself before she ate her meal at a more normal pace.

Once she was done and all washed up, Aerith tied her hair into a half bun before she exited out the room. As expected, Cloud was just standing outside, sword strapped behind his back as his arms crossed over his chest. He looked impatient, but some of it eased away when he saw her finally step out.

“Ready?”

“Yes. Let’s go.”

“Wait, hold on.”

Aerith watched as Cloud turned her around by the shoulder and began to fix her lopsided hair. Heart beating a bit faster at having a man’s fingers in her hair, she bit her bottom lip a little bit as she felt him tie a neater bun and secure all the simple ornaments in a better position.

“Done,” was all he said when he finished before he headed off first to check out. She followed suit.

“I didn’t know that you could tie hair,” Aerith said, making sure her voice didn’t suddenly squeak as she wrapped her arm around his once they entered the streets. “It is quite good, the way you did my hair.”

“I used to do my siblings’ hair,” he answered, eyes scanning the streets discreetly to make sure nothing was amiss. “So, it was an unintentionally learned skill.”

“I see. You have siblings?”

“Yes. Well, used to, at least,” and he kept it at that. Of course, Aerith didn’t question further when he phrased it like that.

Unlike the night when they arrived at this village, the day time was the complete opposite. Like the previous village where they stopped at, crowds were bustling for the early morning as the market area boomed with bargains and sales. Children played, dogs chased, and salesmen hollered at the top of their lungs about their products. With so many people, Aerith felt like she could blend in—to just live like this like everyone else. If only she could change her face, that would be possible.

If only.

When the both of them were about to approach the carriage, someone harshly bumped against Aerith’s side among the crowd before falling down, surprising her as she unhooked her arm from Cloud’s and immediately tended to the fallen person.

“Are you okay?” she asked as she gave the person a hand. When the person looked up, she saw that the man was not much older than she was as he gave her a small, embarrassed smile.

“I apologize. I should’ve looked at where I was going,” he said sheepishly as he took her hand and accepted her help up. No conversation further ensued as he tilted his head down in a small thank you before he hurriedly left, making Aerith wonder if he really needed to get somewhere urgent in this small town.

“And you should watch where you’re going too,” Cloud said as he helped her up on the carriage. “Keep your eyes straight and senses sharp. You don’t know what might come up.”

“And isn’t that your job?” Aerith said. She wasn’t smiling, but there was a hint of playfulness in her voice as she questioned him. “I don’t think I’m much help.”

“It could make a difference. Who knows,” and he clambered onto the carriage with her before they departed for another long ride through the woods. 

Unbeknownst to them, the man who had just fallen down was no ordinary villager as he escaped into a corner and smirked as he watched them enter a carriage.

“The Holy Being, hm?”

~.~.~

It was during lunchtime when Jessie felt that something was off when her and Biggs walked through the very same town that Cloud and Aerith had left a few hours prior. At first, she didn’t seem to catch what it was, but after a few more moments of studying the area around her, she knew that something among the crowd just didn’t feel right.

“Do you see it too?” Biggs muttered into her ear as they strolled down the market area like regular civilians. “How there are shadows in the corners of this place?”

“I would assume that they’re just people lurking in the back areas of town,” Jessie spoke as she held a fan up in front of her face. Unlike before, her hair was now tied in a ponytail; it was proper to at least keep normal appearances during travel. “But I don’t know; something about those people bother me. Are they just regular alcoholics and drug addicts? Or do you think we should be concerned?”

“Should we be concerned in general? Sure, if you’re aiming to become some sort of politician working to solve poverty. But should we be concerned for the sake of our mission? Forget it,” Biggs said knowingly. “Shinra soldiers couldn’t have possibly caught on to anything, nor should they be so closely on our tail. Don’t worry about it. If anything, Cloud should’ve passed by this place already. If there was anything suspicious, he would’ve seen it already.”

“But he’s with someone right now,” Jessie sighed, fanning herself a little bit under the heat. “Don’t you think he would be slightly distracted?” Then, she gave Biggs the side-eye. “I saw how your eyes raved that girl from top to bottom the moment you saw her. Seems like she’s quite a beauty to you foolish men.”

“Cloud? Distracted? You’re quite the comedian,” chuckled Biggs, completely dodging Jessie’s latter comment. “Also, we got ourselves quite a beauty here too, don’t we?”

Jessie stared at him before rolling her eyes and slapping her fan against his arm, very unamused.

“We’re both comedians. To wordlessly accept this mission without any discussion. I guess debt really makes you do things that you don’t really think about.”

“It’s not just debt. It’s trust, isn’t it?” Biggs wagged his finger before he pointed it at a restaurant. “But let’s not talk on an empty stomach. Let’s just think about this journey as a small get-away—a vacation almost. Just us two. Quite romantic, isn’t it?”

“… Disgusting.”

And the two of them went to go get some lunch, tossing any suspicion that anything threatening was nearby.

~.~.~

In the carriage, Aerith scooted to the side like last time so that she wouldn’t touch Cloud’s knees from across. He didn’t seem to notice her fidgety actions as he took out a small bottle and drank out of it. For just an instant, his eyes turned sapphire, but to her, it quickly dissipated to reveal the usual mako color that could never disappear from her sight. Noticing her staring, Cloud raised an eyebrow before asking, “What is it?”

“Why do you hide it?” she bluntly asked. It was a question that really nagged at her, so she couldn’t keep it in anymore. “I think they’re pretty.”

“What are?”

“Your eyes.”

Cloud blinked twice before he sighed and looked out the window. Whether it was out of hidden embarrassment or just plain agitation, Aerith didn’t know, but she did expect an answer. She didn’t stop staring at him until he said something, and it worked.

“I just don’t like it,” he settled. “And it seems like people know me by the color of my eyes too. I am surprised that such a trait would stand out enough for someone like you from the palace to seek me. It saves me the trouble from listening to commissions I won’t accept, like murder or something.”

“I see.” Aerith didn’t buy it one bit since there obviously seemed to be a deeper reason behind his words, but she didn’t push it. The plain fact that mako shouldn’t be able to exist naturally as a form for humans to manipulate casted a lot of doubt about Cloud’s background and his infusion with the green energy. She didn’t think that she was curious enough dig into it, but the longer she stayed by his side, the longer she wanted to find out—to know about this mysterious man. It was her duty as a Cetra, right? What was going on with the Planet’s energy nowadays, and did the Planet itself approve? 

“You said some interesting stuff last night,” Cloud said, throwing her off guard as she blinked at him. He gave her a lazy brow, silently questioning whether she understood what he was referring to. Hoping that he wouldn’t bring up last night’s incident at all, Aerith bit her bottom lip as she looked away from him and back towards the window to the outside. 

“Forget it,” she stated curtly, eyebrows knitted together as she thought about the contents of the dream. She didn’t remember much of it, but she did remember Don Corneo’s terrible face in it, which was enough for a nightmare. “It meant nothing. I apologize for the trouble I may have caused you.”

“You didn’t cause me too much trouble,” Cloud said before adding, “You just jabbed me in the face a couple of times and probably woke up the entire floor of the inn.”

Wincing, Aerith was about issue another apology before Cloud finally said, “Sorry for slapping you. It was the only way to get you to wake up.”

“You slapped me?” Aerith spluttered. Then, she remembered the sharp pain she felt last night on her cheek before she sighed, feeling a bit more embarrassed about her behavior. “Well, if that was what you had to do, so be it. It is fine.”

When Cloud wouldn’t stop looking at her, Aerith could feel herself get more and more uncomfortable as she shifted in her seat, wondering when he would stop as she tried to distract herself by once more looking through the window. However, once she couldn’t take it anymore, she turned her eyes over to him and frowned.

“What is it?”

“Nothing,” he mused. “Just doing the same thing you did to me before. You don’t like this kind of treatment when it’s thrown back at you, hm?” 

Knowing now how the man was just trying to provoke her, Aerith pursed her lips before letting out another exasperated sigh. Was this how he should treat a client? She knew customer service wasn’t exactly guaranteed, but the least he could do was not make her uncomfortable.

But then again, she also made him uncomfortable in many ways too.

“If I did not know any better, I would have assumed that you were admiring my beauty.”

“Well, you aren’t wrong.”

_ What? _

Aerith widened his eyes at him, wondering if something went loose in his head as Cloud seemed unfazed by his own statement. Instead, he seemed more critical than ever as he gave her one last look before laying back into his seat and closing his eyes.

“That, and just wondering how your image as the Holy Being hasn’t been broken yet. How many times do I have to tell you to stop speaking so formally? You did fine last night.”

Feeling attacked now that the topic of her upbringings as the Holy Being came up once again, Aerith began to twiddle her thumbs on her lap. It wasn’t as if she wanted to continue being like this either—to be so proper, neat, and rigid. After years of being forced to act like a puppet, she even felt in danger just at the thought of being something else. She was conditioned to be on her best performance, to act like a fake goddess to those in the palace and possibly to the whole country, and if she didn’t perform well…

She clenched her eyes shut, not wanting to think about her experiences yet again so early in the daytime. If this was what Cloud was curious about—her history—then she—

_ Bang, bang! _

Suddenly, the carriage lurched forward and halted to a stop, throwing Aerith across from her seat and onto the other. Instantly, Cloud grasped his sword, switched places with Aerith so that she could be on the interior side, and opened the door. The moment it cracked open by a slit, a sword slipped in, eliciting a gasp of surprise from Aerith as Cloud kicked the door opened and immediately elbowed the man in the face.

“Damn it, bandits,” Cloud cursed as he jumped off the carriage. His eyes locked onto Aerith’s, whose fear was evident as she assumed the worse. “They’re not Shinra, they’re just a bunch of—”

Cloud didn’t get to finish his sentence as a figure charged at him and pushed him to the side and out of Aerith’s view, finally making her scream as she heard the clangs of metal outside. 

“Stay inside!” she could hear Cloud holler. “Stay put and don’t go anywhere!”

“Are you okay?” she managed to yell back. Crawling over to the door, she wanted to take a peek, but instead, she saw a gruff man in the front instead, smiling as he caught a glimpse of her.

“My, my, what a fine lad—” 

He didn’t get to say much before Aerith instinctively gave him a kick in the face before pulling the door shut.

“You wench! You dare kick at me!” 

Aerith held onto the knob for dear life as the man from behind began to bang his fists onto it, demanding it open as he continued to scream profanities at her. 

“Cloud!” she screamed, unable to hold on much longer. “Cloud!” When she felt herself lose in strength to the man behind the door, she decided to just fling it wide open, give the man another unexpected kick, and fled from the carriage, eyes searching for Cloud’s familiar blonde hair.

“I told you to stay put!” Cloud yelled as he jabbed another person in the stomach. There were around ten of them, but nearly half were already on the ground—whether dead or unconscious, Aerith didn’t know. “Are you deaf?”

“I would’ve loved to stay put if there wasn’t a man wrestling me over the doo— _mmph!_ ” Aerith’s hands instantly went over her mouth as she tried to tear the grubby hands off of it. Someone had secured her from behind, and his strength was too much for Aerith to match as she flailed all her limbs in a desperate attempt to get herself free.

“Didn’t your parents teach you be a proper lady?” he snarled in her ear. Aerith gasped when his hand slid up her waist and dangerously close to her bosom, sending a shiver of disgusting down her spine as he began to laugh. “You might not act like one, but you sure do have a fine, slender body!”

“Aerith!” Cloud struggled to knock them all out without killing them as he clashed his sword against a bandit’s knife. Easily dislodging it out of his hand, Cloud shoved his knee against the bandit’s stomach before throwing him against a tree. However, before he could tend to Aerith, another already popped back up from the ground for a second round.

“A person who doesn’t want to kill—who do you think you are?” the man holding Aerith hostage let out another rumble of throaty laughter before he turned his head towards one of his subordinates, who was done scavenging through the carriage. “Any goods?”

“Besides a few food stocks and packages to be delivered, nothing,” the subordinated reported regretfully. 

“No fear. We got ourselves something much finer for me tonight, unexpectedly,” he grinned as he placed a hand over Aerith’s mouth and began to feel the smooth skin on her cheeks. “I’ve never seen such a beautiful thing like you—it’s almost as if you’re not human.”

Aerith wasn’t going to sit here and let some filthy man touch her like this, so she didn’t hesitate to open her mouth and bite down hard his hand, instantly drawing red as his bloodcurdling scream echoed through the woods. 

“You vixen!” He released her, only to roughly turn her around and give her a harsh slap against the face. However, she was unfazed as she licked the blood off her lips, eyes cold as she stared into her assailant’s face.

“Let me go, you mongrel,” she hissed, arms returning to their futile attempt at freedom. However, he had her down tight.

“I was about to give you special treatment the moment we stepped foot within my domain, but you’ve lost your chance,” he barked. Turning her around so that he could headlock her, he used his other hand to signal towards his men. “Get our carriage! We are leaving with this woman!”

“Unhand me.” Aerith watched as Cloud tried his best to go over to her, wondering why he couldn’t just kill the men and come to her already.

“Load all the goods as well!”

“Aerith!”

_ Be strong. Live life proudly as the last Cetra. _

“And make sure you kill that man before the rest of you leave!”

The world flickered around her as her eyes trained themselves on the floor. Something stirred, and within a snap of a finger, her vision became green.

Again, it came—the surge in power.

“I said let me go.”

“What did you say, dear?”

“I _said_ , let go!”

And the winds blew and howled like injured wolves as Aerith unleashed the power bubbling from inside her. However, she was in control of nothing, so as she felt the hold on her loosen, the last thing she expected was for the man’s body to fly across and slam into a tree. She should’ve questioned, and she should’ve felt some sort of horror at what she just did.

However, she didn’t. Instead, she liked it.

Everyone around them stopped what they were doing, allowing Cloud to knock them out for good as he slammed his fist against the back of their necks. His attention was split between handling the useless bandits and the sight in front of him as he watched Aerith approach the man who had previously held her hostage. 

Something about her wasn’t right.

“What did you call me earlier? A wench?” Aerith asked as she knelt down in front of the man, whose arrogance was wiped out in a second as he stared at her glowing, green eyes. He couldn’t see it, but he could feel it—some sort of swirling energy around her.

“W-what are you?” he stuttered, arms behind his back as his desperately tried to crawl away and establish some distance. However, he wasn’t able to move a single muscle before he felt some force push him against the ground, face-front as he struggled to get up. 

“Stay there,” Aerith spat as she watched him fight against the mako. “Do you like it? Being held down like some dog?” She didn’t know what she was doing, but she had no issues with it as the man got pressed deeper and deeper into the dirt. He wasn’t even remotely similar to him besides the large build, but Aerith couldn’t help but envision him as Corneo, the man she so desperately wanted to just erase from the face of this Planet for all that he did to her. From the torture, the humiliation, the objectification—she never felt such a strong desire to just tear him bit by bit, to drink in the delicious cocktail of his screams and regrets for her misery and despair.

Her thoughts began to spiral as the power around her began to unravel more and more out of her control, and she felt no urge to stop this inflow of power. Before she felt so weak, but now…

Because the pressure was too much for him, the leader of the pack of bandits coughed up saliva, helpless as he grappled for each breath of air he could take. 

“You should have thought twice before you felt me up with those ugly hands of yours.”

Something inside her told her that ripping his fingers off his hands would be no hard feat.

“You’re not just a wench,” the man coughed. Aerith tilted her head at him, appearing almost innocent if not for the way her eyes glowed so menacingly. “You’re a monster!”

Right before she could actually do what she wanted, to rip his hands off, take every last breath he had left in his lung, and just _kill_ him, she felt someone lightly brush a hand against her shoulder.

“Stop. You’re going to kill him.”

Head snapping over her shoulder, she looked up at Cloud, who was a bit breathless from dealing with all the henchmen as he dropped his sword onto the ground and tried to pull her up in hopes that she would release the man under her strange power. She wasn’t as compliant as he would’ve liked, however, as she slapped his arm away and stood up on her own.

“Why can’t I?” she yelled, eyes now directed straight at Cloud’s as she felt a bit indignant. “He killed the coachman, and slashed the horses. He _touched_ me, and said such vile things right next to my ear! Are you asking me to spare him?”

“You’re going to regret it, so let him go,” Cloud urged as he grabbed onto her arm to shake her out of it. His eyes never wavered from hers as he stared at the mysterious, celestial glow. “You don’t need to do that sort of thing. Plus, I was going to deal with him after I cleared most of his men. They’re not the type for you to waste your energy on.”

“If so, why did I have to stay and endure all that just for you to finish?” Aerith felt her surge of power die out as Cloud’s voice slowly reached her. “I’ve already had enough at the palace, I—” 

The man gasped for breath as the pressure on him disappeared, allowing his muscles to move on their own accord once more. Cloud watched as Aerith blinked. One, two, and the green glow burnt out, only to be replaced with tears as she sniffled against the cloth of her kimono. 

“I don’t know what’s happening to me,” Aerith cried, reasoning finally returned as she realized what she was about to do to the man before her feet. “I don’t understand what’s going on at all. Ever since I left the palace, I—”

“I’m sorry,” Cloud said regretfully, realizing too late that she couldn’t have held up on her own for that long considering her fear of being held hostage. Feeling extremely guilty for putting her in that position just for his convenience, Cloud hesitantly rubbed her shoulder in an attempt to comfort her in some sort of way.

He quickly grabbed her though and pulled her behind him when he saw movement from below her. Swinging a kick, he successfully knocked the man back down as his fat body rolled a couple of times before hitting against the same tree that Aerith had slammed him into.

“Let’s not have any funny ideas here,” Cloud said coolly as he left Aerith’s side just for a moment to send his foot against the man’s stomach. “It’s like you’re begging for your own death.”

“Who are you two?” the man heaved as his arms clutched Cloud’s ankle to remove it. It didn’t budge. “Both of you—monsters!”

“If you know that, how about you take your crew with you and scram? I’ll let you off for killing just the coachman and horses,” and Cloud gave the guy one last kick to the stomach before he strapped his sword back onto his back, took Aerith’s hand, and hurriedly pulled her out of the scene. It wasn’t good to stay in one place for too long, especially after their messy ordeal. It was only a matter of time until the group of bandits began to spread gossip about the two.

“Cloud, wait,” Aerith finally spoke up after ten minutes of running. The skies were getting dark, and already they could feel droplets of rain splatter against their cheeks as the temperature began to drop. The sun was just out a few hours ago—now, only dark clouds hovered in the grey skies. 

“We have to keep moving. We’re back on foot. Reaching the next village for a carriage is vital right now before they catch up to us,” Cloud insisted, but he let go of her once he turned around and saw her expression. 

“What am I?” she whispered as she stared at her hands. The shock at what she was about to do to the powerless man swamped her senses as she began to grow numb from head to toe. Never before did she ever feel hatred so intense—intense enough to shed blood with her very own hands. She didn’t know what kind of power she was able to harness, and never before was she so desperate for answers about what was happening within her body and what it meant to have Cetra blood running through her veins, but she did know one thing.

If Cloud hadn’t stopped her, she would’ve drowned in her hatred and tore that man’s body, limb by limb.

Cloud didn’t say anything as he stood there, unable to say much as he allowed Aerith some time to let everything sink in. Words didn’t come easy to him, especially during moments like this, so the only thing he could give her was silence.

In less than a minute, the clouds released all their rainfall, and down the water droplets poured as it wet their hair and dripped down their bodies like a cold, stinging shower. Knowing that simply standing there and getting sick would be a huge impediment in their journey, Cloud quickly scanned the area for any shelter. Before he could point out a small cave that was conveniently by their side, Aerith did the unexpected.

Stepping forward, she leaned her head against his chest, face downcast as she held onto him, body trembling as she shook not only from the cold, but from fear. It wasn’t just fear of the palace anymore, of being captured and thrown back into that dungeon. It was a fear of herself, one that she didn’t want to explore any further than this.

However, she felt safe with Cloud. Something about being in his arms made her feel protected. Just one touch from him earlier and she was able to snap out of it; he was the one who stopped her from doing something she would regret.

And because of that, she didn’t hesitate to wrap her arms fully around him, seeking as she searched for comfort from his touch, just like last night. Warm, with a smell that oddly reminded her of home—of her life that she used to live before Shinra’s capture. 

She liked this a lot better.

Then, she just cried, letting it all out as the frustrations of both their journey and herself poured off onto his chest. The rain simply washed it all away.


End file.
